MINOT – The always anticipated spring season, which in North Dakota is usually early summer, isn’t expected to be very favorable in our region. That's the crux of the latest 3-month weather outlook issued by the Climate Prediction Center.
According to CPC analysis, the April-May-June temperature outlook concludes “below-normal temperatures are most likely for portions of the Northern Plains”. It’s still going to warm up, of course, but maybe not as warm as usual during that time frame.
Notable is that the La Nina advisory has expired, along with La Nina, although it may take some time for La Nina influence to completely disappear. La Nina generally means colder or cooler weather across the northern United States, North Dakota included.
The CPC cites the existing snowpack in much of the Northern Plains for bearing some responsibility for long term negative temperature trends and forecasts “elevated odds for below-normal temperatures” through June.
Precipitation is a different story, with no clear indicators of above or below average rainfall April-June. In other words, normal precipitation is the best conclusion. Climatic normals are based on conditions from 1991-2020.
The next issuance of a 3-month weather outlook from the CPC will be on April 20.
