Nearly every state in America is predicted to have a hotter-than-normal summer, according to the latest from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
That鈥檚 most likely in the Mountain West. Most of New Mexico and Utah and parts of Colorado have a 60% to 70% chance of above-average summer temperatures, and all of Nevada and Idaho and parts of Wyoming have a 50% to 60% chance of above-average heat.
鈥淲e're seeing stronger above-normal temperatures that are related to how the climate has been changing and temperatures have been increasing over time,鈥� said Johnna Infanti, a meteorologist with NOAA鈥檚 Climate Prediction Center.
At the same time that summer temperatures rise across the West, Infanti said the agency has 鈥渟ome confidence that precipitation will also be below normal.鈥�
That鈥檚 bad news for the Southwest. La Ni帽a is forecast for late summer, a climate pattern associated with heat and drought conditions.
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .