The outlook for the last 3 months of the year was issued recently by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, continuing the trend from the summer: warm and dry. The temperature outlook for October through December is full of orange and red with above average temperatures expected from coast to coast. The Southwest and Northeast have the highest likelihood to be warmer than normal.
Here's your look at how the last 3 months of 2020 are favored to shape up in terms of temperature and precipitation. Forecasts for running 3 month periods are also available through the end of 2021 at the link! https://t.co/Gv7URMbjkO pic.twitter.com/oSuCrgBXc4
— NWS Climate Prediction Center (@NWSCPC) September 17, 2020
The precipitation outlook has a large area of drier than normal weather from the Lower Mississippi Delta to the Desert Southwest. This will lead to a continuation and possible expansion of the drought in the Southwest and Plains. Wetter than average weather is expected in the Northwest, which should improve or bring an end to drought conditions.
The ongoing #LaNina results in #drought persistence and expansion being forecast through the end of 2020 across much of the southern tier, although improvement or removal is forecast across the Pacific Northwest. https://t.co/Tp4IHSv4Of pic.twitter.com/oYRo3gwfPa
— NWS Climate Prediction Center (@NWSCPC) September 17, 2020
The CPC says that La Nina conditions are starting to be observed in the Pacific Ocean and are expected into early next year. La Nina was discussed earlier this month by the CPC. The trends of an El Nino or La Nina often take some time to establish, so it is likely to see its effects felt gradually over the coming months.
https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1304450458501742594
La Nina occurs when the waters of the Pacific Ocean show a general trend of cooling, the opposite of an El Nino. During La Nina periods, the Jet Stream is less active in the Southern U.S. This usually leads to less storms systems and below average precipitation. Cooler than normal weather typically occurs across the northern tier of the country and occasionally wetter periods as well.
