El Niño Remains as Warmer Spring Temperatures Return
(ANDOVER, MA) As spring arrives in the northern hemisphere, many Americans are eager to see warmer temperatures. Following heavy snow and flooding in the Midwest and Upper Plains over the past few weeks, farmers and ranchers are wondering when it will end. According to the latest forecast from The Weather Company, an IBM Business, the Northeastern, Southeastern, and Northwestern U.S. will enjoy a warmer-than-normal spring, while the Plains and Southwest will experience below normal temperatures. Rainfall will skew above-normal in most areas except in the Northeast and Southwest. For April and May, The Weather Company expects warming patterns along the Eastern seaboard and Pacific Northwest, and colder weather throughout the Plains into Colorado, Montana, and Utah. On the heels of a wet 2018, soil moisture values are high across the eastern half of the country and much lower in middle America, causing the Plains to cool. Heading into June and the summer season, El Niño will linger into a second year, bringing cooler-than-normal temperatures across the Northern and Central Plains, along with parts of Nevada and California. The most significant warmth is expected in the Northwest, with both coasts seeing above-normal summer heat.