A developing El Niño weather pattern is expected to play a major role in this summer’s forecast across the United States, bringing cooler-than-normal conditions to the Northeast while much of the western U.S. experiences above-average heat.

Forecasters at The Weather Channel say the Northeast and Great Lakes regions are likely to trend somewhat cooler than average during the June-through-August period, particularly later in the summer.

While August is still expected to be the hottest month of the season in the Northeast, meteorologists say temperatures may not climb as high as they otherwise could have without the developing climate pattern.

The cooler outlook is being linked to strong atmospheric ridging over Alaska, which is expected to push cooler northwesterly air into the Northeast during parts of the summer.

Meanwhile, the Northwest is forecast to endure another hot season after already experiencing one of its warmest starts to the year on record. Temperatures are expected to remain well above normal throughout much of the summer across the western United States.

The Gulf Coast could also see especially hot and humid conditions in July, with forecasters warning that some areas may experience temperatures well above seasonal averages.

El Niño — the warming of ocean waters in the tropical Pacific — is also expected to influence rainfall patterns and hurricane activity. Forecasters say the climate pattern may contribute to a below-average Atlantic hurricane season while also bringing drier-than-normal conditions to portions of the Gulf Coast and Southeast.

In contrast, warmer ocean temperatures off Mexico and California could provide additional moisture to the Southwest, potentially increasing rainfall chances in some desert regions.

Source: The Weather Channel