At least 20 US states are set for dangerous heat this summer... is YOUR hometown a 'hot zone?'

The summer of 2023 saw record breaking heat waves and heat-related deaths, and officials have warned that the US may experience another round in just a few weeks.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) has released its seasonal temperature outlook for June, July, and August, forecasting higher than average temperatures for most of the country. 

At least 20 states spanning throughout the Northeast and the Midwest are in hot zones where temperatures could be above the normal.

The extreme heat is a a result of El Niño, caused by a shift in the distribution of warm water in the Pacific Ocean around the equator, which typically carries dryer and warmer air to the northern US.

At least 20 states spanning throughout the Northeast and the Midwest are in hot zones where temperatures could be above the normal

Many states predicted to experience a warmer than usual summer are across the Western half of the US including Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, and most of the Northeastern states, like New York and Massachusetts, are the places most likely to see higher than normal temperatures. 

A lower section in the state of Alaska is the only place that may experience below normal summer temperatures.

This March was the hottest March in more than 170 years of record, NOAA reported. The rest of spring is expected be pretty warm too. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has warned that temperatures are likely to be between 1 and 2 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than average from now until June. 

But large portions of the northern Great Plains, the Midwest, southeastern New Mexico, and western Texas are likely to experience heat between 1.8 and 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than normal during that time period. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) has released its seasonal temperature outlook for June, July, and August , forecasting higher than average temperatures for most of the country

This forecast comes as the world sees the fading of El Niño, which weakens the trade winds and causes hotter and dryer conditions in the northern U.S. and Canada. 

When this happens La Niña, which is associated with cooler temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, isn't far behind.

'La Niña tends to follow strong El Niño events,' an April outlook from the Climate Prediction Center said. 'Transition from El Niño to ENSO-neutral is likely by April-June 2024 (85 percent chance), with the odds of La Niña developing by June-August 2024 (60 percent chance).'

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 Johan Jaques, a senior meteorologist at environmental technology company KISTERS, warned there could be 'unintended consequences' to using the relatively young technology, potentially leading to 'diplomatic instability'.

This cycle occurs every three to seven years, and affects everything from precipitation patterns, likelihood of drought, and frequency of storms. 

However, weather experts have noted that the shift does not mean a respite from last year's intense summer.

'This obviously isn't our grandmother's transition out of El Niño – we're in a much warmer world so the impacts will be different,' Michelle L'Heureux, a climate scientist with the Climate Prediction Center said, CNN reported.

La Niña events are also responsible for stronger hurricane seasons in the Atlantic Ocean. 

The last event began in 2020, the same year that saw so many hurricanes, officials ran out of names and had to turn to the Greek alphabet to track storms. 

A combination of atmospheric stability from La Niña and heat that is partially strengthened by the climate crisis means a higher possibility of more hurricanes. 

Climate researchers at the University of Colorado have predicted 23 named storms for this year. Meanwhile scientists at the University of Pennsylvania have anticipated 33 named storms­-their highest count ever.

The warning for summer 2024 is also based on data last year that reported an average 13 heat related deaths occurred during the month of July. 

The hot weather warnings come just a few days after the National Weather Service (NWS) has updated and expanded HeatRisk, its heat tracking website.

The tool provides updates about how bad hot weather is going to affect a region, and the website also includes preparedness education and 'beat the heat' resources for those who want to think ahead for the next heat wave.

'Last year was the warmest year on record for the globe, and we just experienced the warmest winter on record.' NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said in an announcement. 

'HeatRisk is arriving just in time to help everyone, including heat-sensitive populations, prepare and plan for the dangers of extreme heat.'