The summer of 2023 saw record-breaking heat waves and heat-related deaths, and officials have warned that the US could see another round in just a few weeks.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the seasonal temperature forecasts for June, July and Augustwith higher than average temperatures forecast for most of the country.
At least 20 states in the Northeast and Midwest are in hot zones where temperatures could be above normal.
The extreme heat is a result of El Niño, caused by a shift in the distribution of warm water in the Pacific Ocean around the equator, which generally carries drier and warmer air to the northern US.
At least 20 states in the Northeast and Midwest are in hot zones where temperatures could be above normal
Many of the states expected to experience a warmer than normal summer are in the western half of the US, including Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, and most of the northeastern states, such as New York and Massachusetts, are where it’s most likely to happen. the biggest thing is that temperatures are higher than normal. .
A lower part of the state of Alaska is the only place where summer temperatures can be below normal.
This March was the warmest March in more than 170 years. NOAA reported. The rest of spring is also expected to be quite warm.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has warned that temperatures are likely to be high between 1 and 2 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than average from now until June.
But large parts of the northern Great Plains, the Midwest, southeastern New Mexico and western Texas will likely experience heat between 1.8 and 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than normal during that period.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released its seasonal temperature outlook for June, July and August, forecasting higher-than-average temperatures for most of the country.
This forecast comes as the world watches the dissipation of El Niño, which is weakening trade winds and bringing warmer and drier conditions to the northern US and Canada.
When this happens, La Niña, which is associated with cooler temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, is not far behind.
“La Niña typically follows strong El Niño events,” according to an April preview from the newspaper This is reported by the Climate Prediction Center. “The transition from El Niño to ENSO neutral is likely in April-June 2024 (85 percent chance), while La Niña is likely to develop in June-August 2024 (60 percent chance).”
This cycle occurs every three to seven years and affects everything from precipitation patterns, the likelihood of drought and the frequency of storms.
However, weather experts have noted that the shift does not represent a break from last year’s intense summer.
“This is clearly not our grandmother’s transition from El Niño – we are in a much warmer world, so the consequences will be different,” said Michelle L’Heureux, climate scientist at the Climate Prediction Center: CNN reports this.
La Niña events are also responsible for stronger hurricane seasons in the Atlantic Ocean.
The latest event began in 2020, the same year when so many hurricanes occurred, officials ran out of names and had to turn to the Greek alphabet to track storms.
A combination of La Niña atmospheric stability and heat partly amplified by the climate crisis means a higher chance of more hurricanes.
Climate researchers at the University of Colorado have predicted 23 named storms this year. Meanwhile, scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have forecast 33 named storms – the most ever.
The summer 2024 warning is also based on data from last year which showed an average of thirteen heat-related deaths occurred in the month of July.
The warm weather warnings come just a few days after the National Weather Service (NWS) was updated and expanded Heat riskthe heat tracking website.
The tool provides updates on how bad hot weather will affect a region, and the website also includes preparedness education and ‘beat the heat’ resources for those who want to think ahead to the next heat wave.
“Last year was the hottest year on record on Earth, and we just experienced the warmest winter on record.” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad chimed in an announcement.
“HeatRisk comes just in time to help everyone, including heat-sensitive populations, prepare and plan for the dangers of extreme heat.”