Well, the weather forecasters have been telling us for some time that weather would be different this year due to the El Niño and El Niña effects. When we went to Vancouver on our sailing charter in June, the Vancouverites told us that it was unusually cool for the middle of June.
Here in the Midwest we have had some record heat wave, then some unusual rain. Usually by now, we are in the midst of a summer draught with cracked earth pulling away from buildings. This year we have had more consistent rain storms.
On TheWeatherNetwork.com they say:
2016, Weather patterns for the past year have been driven by a remarkably strong El Niño event, but a change is on the way for the summer of 2016. As El Niño dissipates and La Niña conditions take its place, we will be in a period of transition in global weather patterns over the next few months.
Here's how temperatures will break down, region by region:
Across the northern tier, particularly the Great Lakes and Northeast, we expect that there will still be a few more bumps along the road to summer with a couple periods of cooler weather during the first few weeks of June. However, by late June summer the heat will take hold and warmer than normal temperatures should dominate through July and August.
In the Southeast, temperatures have already been at or above normal for much of the spring. This should continue to be the case as we expect the usual hot and humid summer weather with a tendency towards above seasonal temperatures.
The South Central part of the country will see typical periods of summer heat, but more unsettled weather as well. With more clouds and rain than normal expected this season - particularly in the early part of the summer - the southern Plains should see temperatures average out near normal. In the northern Plains where drier conditions are more likely, above normal temperatures, but not excessive heat, are expected.
Some parts of the far West will be warmer than normal in the summer of 2016, particularly the Intermountain region. Coastal southern California is expected to be warm as well, where the heat will aggravate the ongoing exceptional drought conditions.
The northern California coast as well as the Pacific Northwest should see temperatures near normal for the summer. Warm waters in the northeastern Pacific will provide enough moisture for cloud cover and precipitation in the north to help keep the heat in check.
The Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season begins on June 1, and this year we expect to see a distinct uptick in tropical storm activity compared to the past three seasons. This is due in part to the developing La Niña, as well as temperature patterns in the North Atlantic.
Early predictions issued by researchers at Colorado State University and North Carolina State University are highlighting the threat for above-average tropical activity this season. These forecasts take into account current weather patterns around the globe, numerical modeling, and statistical analysis.