FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JULY 2026 13
"Understanding the Weather" – A Series by Mel Zeldin, Retired Meteorologist
Aside from some days with unusual heat in March, this spring
has been fairly normal.
Seasonal outlooks for temperature and precipitation are prepared
by the National Climate Prediction Center, and their projections for
this summer across the United States are shown below.
Temperature-wise, as shown in Figure 1, Southern California
is indicated to have above-normal temperatures with the greatest
above-normal likelihood in Northern California and the Pacific
Northwest, as well as Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Across the United
States, projections for above-normal extend across most of the
southern states as well as the east coast into New England. Below-
normal conditions are expected in a small region including Illinois,
Michigan, and Iowa.
For precipitation, as shown in Figure 2, we are in the area for
equal to slightly-above chances for precipitation. And there are
only a very few areas in the United States indicated to be above
normal. So to summarize, expect a slightly warmer summer with
near to slightly-above rainfall. One caveat is that we are heading
into a strong El Niño condition which could increase our rainfall in
September.
Summer Weather Outlook
Fig. 1. Temperature outlook for this summer
Fig. 2. Precipitation outlook for this summer
