Much of the United States will be warm in the fall, but temperatures could drop in December, according to a forecast released Thursday by The Weather Company and Atmospheric G2.

Summer turns into autumn: Above-average temperatures are expected for the remainder of 2024 from the Southwest to the Prairies, Midwest and Northeast.

The only exception may be the Northwest, including Washington, parts of Oregon, northern Idaho and extreme northwest Montana, where temperatures have been slightly below average for the past three months.

Let’s examine each of the next three months in more detail.

October heat: Although our weather forecast is a little cooler, this October may still not be your cup of tea if you’re craving some fresh, cool air to explore an apple orchard.

October is expected to be significantly warmer than usual in New England, most of the Great Lakes region, and the Southwest. October is also expected to be warmer than usual in much of the Mississippi Valley and Mississippi Plain.

The only exceptions to this are likely to be the Pacific Northwest, where October could be slightly cooler, and the Southeast, where October warmth could be tempered due to tropical activity.

“It is quite difficult to predict widespread below-average temperatures in a seasonal forecast these days,” wrote Todd Crawford, vice president of meteorology at Atmospheric G2, in the outlook.

“It still feels like years have passed since we had a month that was cooler than the average for the last 30 years,” Crawford also wrote.

November still mild: Although we may consider November to be a cool month, that may not be the case as often this year.

Significant above-average increases in temperature are expected in a broad swath from the southwest to the northern Plains, while generally above-average temperatures are forecast from the Great Basin through Texas to the western Great Lakes.

Parts of the Southeast, including Florida, may be the only areas in the country that experience slightly cooler than usual in November, just as the Sunshine State’s “dry season” begins.

(192 hours: Improve your forecast with our detailed hourly breakdown for the next 8 days – only available on our Premium Pro Experience.)

Change in December: Maybe December will finally bring a break in the general warmth, at least for some.

Much of the northern United States, from the Northwest to the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, may experience slightly colder than average temperatures in December.

This may be due in part to a weak La Niña phenomenon expected this fall. According to AG2’s Todd Crawford, December months during previous weak La Niñas have tended to be colder than average in the northern U.S., particularly in the northern Plains.

Nevertheless, much of the south of the country is still expected to be milder than usual in December, and at least some of the mild air is also expected in the northeast.