Summary:
- It was a mostly warmer than average* May over the majority of the west.
- May continued the overall dry conditions experienced in April, with the bulk of the west seeing 50% or less of average. Portions of the southwest and Rockies were the only wetter than average regions during the month.
- The dry spring has heightened drought concerns in the West, with persistence likely in portions of central to southern California and the Southwest, and drought development likely in western portions of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies.
- June started with strong onshore flow and cooler temperatures, but will give way to the warmest period of the summer so far over the next week or so. No significant rain events in the forecast for most of the west, although monsoon flow looks to be starting up soon.
- Overall, June is leaning solidly to a warm and dry month for the western US. Coastal zones might lean slightly cooler due to onshore flow returning later in the month. This depends on the position of the North Pacific high pressure ridge as the month progresses.
- For the heart of summer, the 90-day forecast is pointing to a warmer and drier western US. While no extreme heat events appear on the horizon, some models are hinting at the potential for at least 1-3 heat waves over the western US this summer. The monsoon season appears to be shaping up as an active one.
