By Chris Mueller, Des Moines Register
This summer is expected to be hotter than normal in Nebraska and across the central U.S., according to AccuWeather’s long-range forecast.
The meteorological start to summer is June 1, and it runs through the end of August – three months that, across the country, will feature “sweltering heat, severe weather, intense wildfires and the start of a dynamic hurricane season,” AccuWeather’s report says.
How warm will it be this summer in Nebraska?
Temperatures across much of the U.S. are expected to be above the historical average from June to August, with the worst heat in the northern Rockies and across the Great Plains.
Nebraska won’t be an exception, with temperatures forecast to be three degrees or more above the historical average from June to August in most of the state, according to AccuWeather’s forecast. In the Omaha area, high temperatures were already above average in mid-May, with multiple days above 80 degrees, as a heat wave affected a large part of the country, a National Weather Service report says.
The high temperatures forecast this summer will likely mean more expensive air conditioning costs for millions of families nationwide. But without relief from the heat, people are more likely to suffer from heat stress and other health issues, said AccuWeather senior meteorologist and climate expert Brett Anderson.
“More people die from extreme heat than from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and cold weather combined,” Anderson said.
How much precipitation is forecast this summer in Nebraska?
The U.S. Drought Monitor indicates that nearly the entire state is experiencing at least a moderate drought, with about 13% in an extreme drought.
With higher-than-average temperatures expected, AccuWeather’s long-range forecast predicts nearly the entire state will have some drought risk this summer.
“Drought can have a big impact on the growing season in this region, including spring wheat, corn and soybeans,” said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
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