Cooler Fall Weather Predicted

The fall forecast for much of the nation calls for cooler-than-normal temperatures and near-normal rain and snowfall.

The seasonal forecast issued Monday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says “seasonal rains, mountain snowfall and cooler temperatures will bring short-term relief to the drought-plagued Northwest.”

Cooler-than-normal weather is expected to develop over the Northern Plains and then move eastward as winter approaches.

Meanwhile, warmer-than-normal temperatures will occur in parts of the Southwest, expanding up the West Coast and along the southern tier states as the fall season ends.

In the Northwest, the depleted soil moisture could be improved by additional rain and low temperatures, but water supplies probably will remain low through spring.

In the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and eastern Great Lakes regions, “some areas will see improvement, but overall the dryness will linger from October to December,” said Doug LeComte, a forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.