Monday, May 1, 2023 10:00 PM

Here's what to expect during the month of May

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We've flipped the calendar to May, which is the last full month of spring and just a month away from the official stat of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

For the month of May, the Climate Prediction center suggests some areas may have to wait just a little longer to feel like spring or summer. In their recently released temperature outlook, they favor below average temperatures for the California and parts of the Desert Southwest. This comes on the heels of what's been an unusually active, cool winter and early spring for the state of California. The outlook also suggests below average temperatures for parts of the Mid-South into the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys.

It looks like warmer temperatures are favored for the Pacific and Inland Northwest, New England and Florida where the odds are in favor of temperatures feeling a little more like early summer than spring.

May temperature outlook

May temperature outlook

Along with the cooler temperatures expected for California, above average precipitation is expected as the region stays in an active weather pattern. While this is great news for the decades long drought, it could exacerbate flooding issues in the state as snow continues to melt leading to runoff that will cause flooding downstream. Above average precipitation is also favored from Texas to the Southeast, which is much needed.

Parts of Texas are in an exceptional drought (worse drought conditions possible) with parts of Florida included in an extreme drought. To help mitigate the wildfire potential, rain is needed so it's good to see above average precipitation favored for these areas. Farther north across the Northern Plains, Midwest, and Great Lakes, below average precipitation is expected.

May precipitation outlook

May precipitation outlook