Summer 2024 Could Be Hottest On Record: See VA Forecast

VIRGINIA — An increasingly likely La Niña event could mean the United States could experience one of the hottest summers on record this year, and temperatures in Virginia will be no exception.

According to a recently released forecast from The Weather Channel, Virginians can expect an abnormally hot summer in 2024. In fact, long-range models and climate trends indicate it could be one of the hottest summers on record.

La Niña could play a big role in spiking temperatures, Dr. Todd Crawford, vice president of meteorology at Atmospheric G2, wrote for The Weather Channel. La Niña events typically occur every 2 to 7 years on average and last 9-12 months.

During a La Niña event, strong trade winds push warm water toward the U.S. west coast, bringing cold water to the ocean surface and pushing the jet stream northward, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As a result, a La Niña event often leads to drought in the southern U.S. and heavy rains and flooding in the Pacific Northwest. La Niña can also result in a more severe hurricane season and an increased chance of a hotter summer in the central and eastern United States.

According to The Weather Channel's forecast, temperatures in Virginia and other mid-Atlantic are expected to be near average or slightly warmer this summer.

By May, Virginians can expect near-average conditions. In June and July, temperatures will rise above average as the heat shifts northward into the Northern Plains, Ohio Valley, and Northeast states.

As summer comes to a close, temperatures will remain above average in August, according to The Weather Channel.

This newest forecast is in line with a prediction released last month by the Farmers’ Almanac, which warned Virginians to expect steamy and thundery conditions this summer.

In its summer 2024 weather forecast, the Farmers’ Almanac also said many Americans could experience the hottest temperatures in recorded history this summer. Wet weather is also in the forecast for many parts of the country.