© 2026 NPR Illinois
For your right to be curious.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Build a transformational philanthropy program for this trusted NPR affiliate.
Seeking a 100% major gift fundraiser passionate about public media to develop relationships with people who support an informed and civil central Illinois.
Hire will have community visibility, many prospects, and professional resources.
Interviews in progress, open until filled. Apply now.

Are you availabile to be a local fill-in anchor on Morning Edition and/or All Things Considered?
Must be available with notice either weekdays from 5:30 to 9 a.m. and/or 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Apply by June 5, 5 p.m.

NOAA Predicts Warmer Than Normal Spring For Most Of U.S.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a warmer-than-normal spring for most of the United States.

It reports:

"Above-normal temperatures this spring are most likely across most of the continental U.S. and northern Alaska. Below-normal temperatures are favored for the Pacific Northwest and extreme northern Great Plains. For precipitation, odds favor wetter-than-normal conditions in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions. Drier-than-normal conditions are most likely in much of the West, the Rockies, parts of the Southwest, much of Texas, along the Gulf Coast and Florida. Hawaii has an enhanced chance of being cooler and drier than normal."

In a more serious prediction, NOAA says that it expects the drought in the central and western regions of the United States will persist and new drought is expected to develop "in California, the Southwest, the southern Rockies, Texas, and Florida."

We'll leave you with two maps. First a temperature map:

Next a precipitation map:

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

A map showing below-average precipitation in tan and above-average precipitation in green.
/ NOAA
/
NOAA
A map showing below-average precipitation in tan and above-average precipitation in green.

Eyder Peralta is NPR's East Africa correspondent based in Nairobi, Kenya.