Summer heat safety tips every dog owner should know
Hot weather is dangerous for dogs. These summer safety tips will help keep your pup cool, comfortable, and protected when outdoors.
In the new summer forecast map, orange and red are the seasonal colors.
In fact, forecasts released May 21 by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center predict widespread above-average temperatures across most regions of the United States, except for the Great Lakes and Upper Midwest.
According to NOAA’s forecast, temperatures in June, July, and August are expected to be “above normal across much of the West, the Great Plains, the lower Mississippi River Basin, and the East.” Specifically, NOAA said the highest confidence in forecasting above-normal temperatures is across the Pacific Northwest.
Temperatures will also be above average across much of Alaska.
Commercial weather forecaster AccuWeather’s summer forecast is in line with NOAA’s forecast: “A hot summer is expected for most of the continental United States in 2026, with few areas expected to experience seasonal temperatures below historical averages,” AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Rada said in a recent online forecast.
How hot will it get?
Please note that NOAA’s official forecasts do not predict exact temperatures. The probability that temperatures will be higher than normal or lower than normal is shown. However, these odds have increased in most parts of the United States, meaning more frequent heat waves and above-average seasonal temperatures are likely.
The worst of the heat is expected to be in parts of California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, raising the threat of widespread fires, AccuWeather said.
“The Northwest and Great Bass wildfires could be devastating this summer, along with an impressive heat wave and worsening drought conditions,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
NOAA said the northwestern states of Oregon and Washington are among the areas with the highest predicted heat typical of an El Niño summer.
The heat is not limited to the West. AccuWeather also predicts the number of 90-degree days will be near or above historical averages in Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia.
What about the Midwest?
Will the Midwest be spared the worst of the heat? perhaps.
On the map, the Midwest is mostly white. What does this mean? “Regions painted white and labeled ‘equal probability’ or ‘EC’ are areas where the climate signal is weak, so there is an equal probability that seasonal temperatures will be above, near, or below normal,” NOAA explains.
As such, the Midwest faces an uncertain summer in terms of temperature. “A more variable temperature pattern is expected this summer, with equal probabilities of below-normal, near-normal, or above-normal temperatures expected across the Midwest,” NOAA meteorologist Brad Pugh said in an online forecast.
NOAA says that in late summer and early fall, “temperatures are expected to be slightly below normal in some parts of the Midwest, based on El Niño effects.”
El Niño’s influence on summer patterns expands
According to AccuWeather’s Lada, El Niño is expected to occur in early summer and is expected to increase its impact on widespread weather patterns in the tropics and across the United States through the remainder of 2026.
A developing El Niño will help increase hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific Ocean, while keeping the Atlantic season below average for the entire season, forecasters announced this week.
Check the forecast for next winter early
Given the increasing likelihood of a strong El Niño by next winter, the probability of above-average temperatures has increased to more than 50% across the northern region of the continental United States, from the eastern Pacific Northwest to the northern Great Plains, from December 2026 to February 2027, according to NOAA.
