Weekly long-range outlook through mid-May

Here are the latest clues to the long-range pattern through the week of May 17-23. Each forecast panel shows areas where there may be a significant departure from normal in terms of temperature or precipitation. Areas are left unshaded where temperature and precipitation departures look close to current seasonable normals or there is high uncertainty.

We are now clearly in the transition season, where fading winter is trying to hold off the approach of summer. Long-range forecast models will typically struggle more than they usually do at this time of year.