How Dallas' rainier than normal June is paying dividends

• DFW Airport recorded 7.4 inches of rain in the first half of June. The normal amount over that period is closer to 2 inches, per the National Weather Service.

The intrigue: Morning rain and cooler-than-expected temperatures last Sunday gave Japanese and Dutch soccer fans a great first impression of North Texas.

• England and Croatia fans will experience highs in the mid-90s Wednesday but with clouds and wind — a mild form of Texas heat.

Context: Tom Bradshaw, a meteorologist with the NWS Fort Worth office, says the recent rain is comparable to spring weather patterns.

• With the drier months of July and August on the way, it's good to get as much rain as possible in early summer, he says.
• 41.3% of the state is experiencing drought conditions, per the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor map, compared with 81.8% three months ago.

What's next: North Texas' rain chances return Thursday and will linger through Saturday. Thunderstorms are possible.

• "In Texas, you never really want to curse rainfall. Now, we obviously don't want to go overboard and have flooding — that goes without saying," Bradshaw says.

What we're watching: A tropical storm could form in the Gulf this week, possibly marking the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

• Houston is preparing for heavy rain, though Bradshaw says the storm isn't likely to impact North Texas much.