FARGO -- After a dreadfully long winter and stressfully wet spring, normal summer weather doesn't seem like too much to ask.
But apparently it is.
The National Weather Service has issued its temperature and precipitation outlooks for May, June and July, calling for cooler and wetter than normal conditions.
The 90-day outlook is consistent with typical La Nina impacts, which means an elevated chance of below normal temperatures from the Northwest across the northern Great Plains -- including Minnesota and North Dakota -- and into the mid-Atlantic coastal region, says the outlook released last week.
Forecast models show La Nina conditions will diminish by June. But the outlook predicts above-normal chances of precipitation in northwest Minnesota, eastern Montana and most of North Dakota for the three-month period.
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"In spite of the expected weakening of La Nina to neutral status by June 2011, the abnormally wet soils in northern sections of the contiguous United States ... are likely to lead to a continuation of cool, wet conditions in the north," the outlook states.
Meanwhile, the Red River at Fargo dropped below 32 feet Monday and is expected to drop below its major flood stage of 30 feet by early Saturday.
Today marks the 29th day above flood stage since the Red topped its banks at 18 feet on March 29. The record for consecutive days above flood stage is 61 days set in 2009.
