Sizzling Temperatures Ahead For VA Summer 2023 Forecast Says

VIRGINIA — The Farmers’ Almanac has released its extended summer forecast, and the words you need to know in Virginia are “oppressive, showery and thunderstorms.”

Thunderstorms are predicted for Virginia and other mid-Atlantic states by early July and intermittent through August. Soaring heat will make for an uncomfortably moist combination.

Across a swath covering parts of the Rockies, Plains, Midwest, and east to the Mid-Atlantic Coast, there will be occasional bouts of heavy precipitation, primarily from showery rains and big thunderstorms.

The Summer Solstice on June 21 marks the official beginning of the season, but summer activities kick off over Memorial Day weekend — May 27-29 this year — and are in full swing by the start of meteorological summer on June 1.

Across much of the country, summer temperatures will be “sizzling,” with unrelenting 90- to 100-degree Fahrenheit heat persisting from late June through early September, according to the forecast.

The forecast said temperatures could even top those recorded last year, when the U.S. sweltered through third-hottest summer on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The almanac predicts a hurricane threat for the Mid-Atlantic states around the third week in August, which is more than a month ahead of when Florida was punched by Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022.

If you’re planning to travel around the country this summer, here’s a brief look at what you should prepare for as summer starts, according to the Farmer’s Almanac forecast:

• It calls for a stormy start to meteorological summer, especially east of the Mississippi River, before turning “quite warm” by the end of the month.
• Thunderstorms are also predicted for the Northeast at the start of meteorological season, with heavy rains around the summer solstice extending into the Ohio Valley.
• The Southeast (which the almanac includes Virginia in), North Central and South Central regions of the country are expected to see showers and thunderstorms around the time of the June solstice.
• On the West Coast, hot and dry conditions are expected.

Sweltering, triple-digit temperatures and high humidity are expected to settle in across much of the country around the Fourth of July and continue through August. With heat indices are figured in, the “feel like” temperature could be 110 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas, according to the forecast.

The Northeast, New England and West are expected to see below-average precipitation. In the West, arid conditions combined with excessive heat could pose a significant wildfire threat, and the Southwest is unlikely to see any drought relief, according to the forecast.

The warm, humid air could spawn an increase in heavy thunderstorms in the Southeast.

The Farmer’s Almanac forecast suggests hurricane threats in Gulf Coast and Mid-Atlantic states around the third week in August, along the Eastern Seaboard around the time of the fall equinox on Sept. 23, and along the Southeast coast around Columbus Day on Oct. 9.

Hurricane season traditionally peaks around Sept. 10. NOAA released its names for 2023 hurricanes last month.

On Thursday, NOAA said the La Niña weather phenomenon — which scientists say worsened drought conditions and increased hurricane activity — had ended after an unprecedented three years.