Wisconsin’s summer warmth could stick around into the fall, according to a long-range forecast from AccuWeather.
A “very strong El Niño” is expected to influence fall weather nationwide, said AccuWeather lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok, potentially keeping warmer temperatures around for longer.
“When you have a strong El Niño, it changes the weather pattern across much of the country,” Pastelok said. “Some areas become much wetter; others stay warmer than normal, and those shifts can have a big impact on flooding, drought, tropical activity and even early-season snowfall.”
El Niño is a climate pattern that involves to warmer-than-average temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and has the potential to affect weather worldwide, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“It may not be until October before the first intrusions of chilly air arrive in the north-central Plains, Great Lakes and Northeast,” AccuWeather’s forecast says, “but these cold outbreaks are not expected to be long-lasting.”
AccuWeather predicts temperatures across Wisconsin from September through November will be above historical averages. There could be less precipitation during that time too, with nearly all of Wisconsin – except the southernmost part of the state – expecting 50% to 74% of normal.
Drought conditions across the Northwest increase the risk of large wildfires, which AccuWeather says “could send smoke across the Rockies, Great Lakes and into parts of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, reducing air quality for millions.” In mid-July, air quality in Milwaukee was lowered for days as Canadian wildfire smoke drifted across the region.
What do other fall forecasts predict?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting a cool, dry fall for much of Wisconsin, with the exception of southwestern Wisconsin, where conditions are expected to be warm and dry.
The almanac specifically forecast a cooler-than-average September followed by a warmer-than-average October.
Nationwide, “it won’t feel like fall everywhere,” the almanac said, with warmer-than-average weather expected to settle over the country’s interior. And with few exceptions, the almanac said fall is expected to be relatively dry.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Strong El Niño could keep Wisconsin warmer into fall, AccuWeather says
Reporting by Blaise Mesa, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Blaise Mesa, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
