(NEXSTAR) – Ready for summer? So is the weather forecast.
A seasonal forecast released by the Climate Prediction Center on Thursday shows a warmer-than-average outlook for nearly every state over the next three months.
The map, which shows broad predictions for May, June and July, is colored in shades of yellow and orange. The darker the color, the more likely an area is to experience unseasonably warm weather.
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The highest chance of hot weather is found in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. The region has a 60% to 70% chance of hotter-than-normal weather over the next three months, according to the Climate Prediction Center.
A dozen states across the West, South and New England aren’t too far behind, also likely to see a warm start to summer.
Only a small slice of the Upper Midwest and part of Alaska are shaded in white, which indicates equal chances of three outcomes: normal temperatures, above-average temperatures, and below-average temperatures.
While nearly the entire U.S. is expected to see warm weather, it’s a different story for rain.
West of the Mississippi, most states are leaning toward below-average rain. That’s bad news for the growing drought out West.
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The East Coast and Gulf states, on the other hand, are expected to see more rain than average over the next three months.
The seasonal predictions come after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an official end to La Niña last week.
That leaves us in “ENSO-neutral” conditions. This situation, affectionately nicknamed La Nada, means neither La Niña nor El Niño is present.
Neutral “La Nada” times can make predicting seasonal weather a bit more challenging. This less predictable, neutral status is expected to last through at least the summer.
Starting in the fall, the chances of La Niña or El Niño returning start to grow. At this point, a La Niña winter looks more likely than El Niño for late 2025 and early 2026.
