Following last year’s brutally hot summer nationwide , Washington, D.C. , is facing another hot summer this year.
El Nino is a natural weather pattern marked by warmer-than-usual temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. The weather pattern can affect climates across the world.
By June, it is expected that temperatures will get closer to the average, entering a neutral phase, before shifting to a La Nina. The La Nina weather pattern, which represents the cooling of the Pacific Ocean, typically occurs every three to five years.
The El Nino or La Nina weather patterns are not able to predict summer weather as accurately as winter weather. This winter, the El Nino weather pattern predicted an above-average snowfall. This was partially true as Washington, D.C., experienced its first snowfall in over two years.
Looking at the summer of 2016, which was one of the hottest on record, La Nina conditions were set by midsummer before moving into the El Nino pattern for winter. The summer of 2020 was similar, with an El Nino winter coming before the La Nina set in midsummer.
Outlooks for temperatures this summer look hot. There is a 40% to 50% chance of higher-than-average temperatures this summer for the months of June through August, according to a CNN prediction .
It could also be a rainy summer as projections look to have a 50% chance of a “wetter” summer than average. It is unclear if the wet prediction is due to typical rain and thunderstorms the region sees or due to tropical storms.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The strengthening La Nina conditions could increase hurricane frequency and strength in the Atlantic Ocean. La Nina typically allows for more tropical activity because the warm weather and water cause the storms to form and hold together in the region.
“We anticipate a well above-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean,” forecasters at Colorado State University said.
Most Popular
Comments / 0