United States

Summer Outlook: Could Be One of the Hottest Summers Ever

D.C. has already had its first heatwave of the year, and Storm Team4 expects to see many more this summer.

The current El Nino pattern is similar to that of 2012, and that summer was extremely hot.

Like May 2012, this May goes down as one of the hottest and wettest ever.

D.C. averages 36 days above 90 degrees per year. In 2012, there were 53 days above 90 and eight days above 100. It was the fourth hottest summer of all time.

There are differences between 2012 and 2018 regarding the Atlantic basin. Temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are cooler leading into the summer, which could help with the heat and the number of tropical storms and hurricanes we get this season.

It was a very active year in 2012 with 19 named storms, including one that had a major impact on the United States: Hurricane Sandy. But because of the cooler Atlantic and Gulf, Storm Team4 forecasts 10-14 named storms and five-to-seven hurricanes with one-to-three becoming major hurricanes. The chances of a strong storm hitting the U.S. will be lower this summer.

But as for the heat, Storm Team4 predicts another summer in the Top 10 hottest, with 45-50 90-degree days.

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