July was a hot one, but here?s what NOAA sees ahead for the US

Temperatures were near average in the Pacific Northwest and some Central Plains states but quite warm in the Southwest and extremely warm in the Northeast.Of 35 weather station sites with the longest records in the Northeast, July was the hottest month period at 11 of them. July’s rainfall was slightly better for many areas of the Northeast, but the warmth combined with well-below-average rainfall in May and June has kept things dry.Turning to the coming weeks and months, the all-important temperature patterns in the Pacific Ocean have turned interesting. The precipitation outlook is also similar, with perhaps a little relief in Arizona and New Mexico, but with stronger odds of dry weather extending into Oklahoma.That means drought conditions are expected to persist or worsen across the Southwest, while improvement is expected in parts of the Pacific Northwest, Iowa, and the Northeast.You must login or create an account to comment.Join the Ars Orbital Transmission mailing list to get weekly updates delivered to your inbox.