STATE COLLEGE, Pa., May 31 (UPI) -- A lingering La Nina means no summer for the Great Lakes, drought in the Plains and floods in the Mississippi Valley and rest of the Midwest, forecasters say.
The weather pattern that brought a harsh winter to the Northeast and parts of the Midwest, then extreme flooding and devastating tornadoes this spring, is modifying into one that may not be as volatile this summer, Accuweather.com reported Tuesday.
Areas of the lower Mississippi Valley hit by flooding will have hot, drier weather this summer with a changing weather pattern that could help clear standing water and dry saturated ground, Accuweather meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
However, he said, late-season tropical storms could threaten the Gulf and/or East Coast states.
In the Great Lakes/Ohio Valley/Midwest, the end of the La Nina pattern could make 2011 a year "without a summer" as repeated intrusions of cool air from Canada along with showers and thunderstorms will keep temperatures below normal in many areas, Accuweather said.
The southwestern Plains into the Southwest deserts will remain hot and dry for much of the summer, Pastelok said, which could mean an increased chance of wildfires.
"The drought in the southwestern Plains and interior Southwest will continue, spreading northward into the central Rockies," he said. "As always, with this drought comes a high fire danger."
