Warmer Than Normal Summer?
The weather in North Dakota is harsh. It is extreme. It is highly unpredictable—but we still try to predict it.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts our 2016 growing season may be warm with normal amounts of rain.
The probability for an unusually warm summer is 33–40%. This is slightly higher than the probabilities for normal temps (33%) or a cool summer (27–33%).
As for rainfall, there is a 33% chance it will be normal, 33% it will be wetter than normal, and 33% it will be drier than normal. No trend there.
Mid-latitude sea surface temperatures in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans are responsible for these trends. El Niño and La Niña do not have much influence upon summer climate. The full report is available from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Written by Tom Kalb, Extension Horticulturist, North Dakota State University. Published in the NDSU Yard & Garden Report, June 8, 2016.