A wet beginning to a new month

GAINESVILLE - Weather wise, July is beginning like June ended in the Gainesville area: on a wet note.

June ended with rain on 16 of the 30 days in the month - including 14 of the last 16. In contrast, June began the way May ended - hot and dry. It rained only 8 of 31 days in May and only three of the first 14 days in June.

Rainfall for June totaled 6.61 inches at the AccessNorghGa.com Weather Center on Thompson Bridge Road - making it the wettest month of the year, so far in Gainesville.

The forecast as July begins is for more rain through most of the holiday weekend - with some strong storms expected Thursday afternoon and evening.

The Weather Channel's Tawana James says more seasonal temperatures and rainfall will proably not return until Monday, the last day of the July 4 weekend.