Extreme and unseasonal weather seems to have been the norm throughout much of the U.S. in 2011 and early 2012. But a change to more typical weather could be on the way.

 

"As we move into the summer, we’re hoping certainly for all of the areas that have suffered through extreme weather in 2011 and early 2012 will see a return to much more normalcy across the U.S.," says Brad Rippey, USDA meteorologist. "That could lead to improved rainfall in places like Texas. Hopefully, not as much moisture to the north, where we saw flooding in 2011 across the Ohio and the Mississippi and the Missouri basin."

 

But Rippey warns that a La Niña breakup will be gradual and that extreme weather could occur as the atmosphere recovers.

 

"It’s like stirring a cup of coffee. Even after you take the spoon out, you’ll continue to see the rotation for a while. Well, the atmosphere is like that. Once you get it wound up in a certain way, it does take a while for it to spin down. So we do expect some continuing or lingering impacts of La Niña even after the ocean returns to normal."

 

Watch USDA’s weather predictions:

 

 

 

See your local forecast with AgWeb’s Pinpoint Weather.