Brace Yourself: A Hot, Dry Summer Is Coming for Most of the Country—See the Old Farmer’s Almanac Forecast Here

Grab your fans, your air conditioners, and all of your other stay-cool tricks and techniques: This summer is shaping up to be a real scorcher across most of the U.S., according to the long-range forecast from Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Most of the U.S. can expect hotter and drier weather, from coast to coast and north to south. There are a few pockets of respite, however—it’ll be cool and dry in parts of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, including into northern Nevada, California, Idaho, and Montana.

A rainy summer is expected in a few extreme pockets of the U.S. Expect hot, rainy conditions in Maine, the northernmost parts of New England, and Hawaii. Cool, rainy conditions will be found in southern Alaska and the tip of Florida.

According to the forecast, you can expect more seasonable temperatures to last through June, before the heat turns up to 11 in July and August.

This forecast continues the trend of recent years—2024 was one of the hottest summers in the U.S., and the hottest summer recorded on Earth since measurements started in 1880. (And 2023 was the record year before last year broke the record!)

While the forecast calls for drier conditions, the worst rainfall shortfalls will happen in Texas, Oklahoma, and the Great Plains. The rest of the areas pegged for lower rainfalls should be near normal—just slightly under the average rainfall.

How to Prep for This Summer’s Forecast

With hotter, drier weather expected throughout the U.S., consider the following suggestions to prep your home and your garden now:

Ensure your air conditioner is in working order.

Now’s the time to break out your window AC and give it a good clean, or have your HVAC team service your air conditioner, to ensure that it’s in peak condition before the scorching temperatures arrive. (A clean air conditioner works more efficiently than one with a dusty filter, reducing your electricity bill and the strain on the power grid.)

Learn techniques for keeping your home cooler longer

If you don’t have air conditioning or want to minimize its use, you can follow certain techniques to keep your home cooler. Try closing blinds to reduce the amount of sunlight and heat coming into your home, opening windows when it’s cooler outside to create a breeze, and running fans to blow out hot air or bring in cooler air.

Check your weatherstripping and door and window seals

Keeping your home airtight isn’t just for the wintertime. Ensure that your home is well sealed to keep warm air from seeping in—or expensive air conditioning from seeping out. That means looking for gaps around windows and doors.

Plant a drought-resistant garden

If you don’t yet have plants in the ground, consider swapping out water-intensive flowers and planting more drought-resistant varieties that can handle long stretches without rain—especially if your area regularly limits water usage during dry spells.

Arrange for more water-resourceful watering methods

Drip irrigation systems, where hoses are run into the garden with tiny holes to drip water directly at the roots of each plant, can avoid the waste of sprinklers and standard hoses. You can also install rain barrels that collect rainwater from your roof and gutter system, and use that to water plants.

Mulch generously

A thick layer of mulch can help keep your soil moist longer by avoiding evaporation—and it can prevent the growth of weeds that can steal resources from your plants.