It Still Feels Like Summer in Parts of the US. Blame El Niño

A summer that started early across the US has no intention of quitting, even as the calendar turns to autumn.

The culprits? El Niño and climate change, which contributed to this summer’s record-breaking warmth and are delaying pumpkin spice season.

Forecasters with the US Climate Prediction Center continue to see increased odds for hotter-than-normal temperatures across much of the country through at least the end of September.

Computer models show a pronounced ridge pattern, an atmospheric arrangement that can lock in sustained spells of warmer-than-normal conditions. This setup will feature widespread unseasonable warmth throughout the country, a pattern consistent with a strong El Niño. The greatest odds of above-normal temperatures exist around the Upper Midwest and the Deep South. Some models suggest temperatures could run 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit above normal for the latter half of September.

The blast of unseasonably warm air comes after the hottest summer...

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