Pulled from audio recording:

“Informant:
Okay, I’m from California. I wonder if you’ve heard of this one—“June gloom.”

Pearson:
No, what’s that?

Informant:
It’s a thing on the California coast where, in June, there’s this weird period of overcast skies in the middle of summer. It happens every year. Growing up, people would always say “June gloom,” especially when planning beach trips. Like, we’d want to go, but then someone would say, “Oh no, June gloom.””

Analysis:

“June Gloom” refers to June in California where the skies are overcast and a haze or a Gloom lingers over the coast. In my mind it can be used literally and figuratively. Literally because it’s a real weather-related phenomenon and figuratively as a sort of saying. Someone could ask you to go somewhere to do something with them and you could reply “oh no I don’t wanna go. June Gloom”. It’s used as a way to describe a state of being almost. It reminds me of the idea of not wanting to go outside because it’s raining if that makes sense.

Age: 20

Date_of_performance: Told to me on February 14, 2025. A thing they’ve heard throughout their life

Language: English

Nationality: American

Occupation: Student at USC

Primary Language: English

Residence: Somewhere in the Los Angeles area