Old Farmer's Almanac warns of warm fall after sweltering summer
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac's seasoned prognosticators, this fall is largely predicted to be warmer-than-normal across a significant portion of the U.S.
Extreme heat threatens Chicago Cubs game against Kansas City Royals on Wednesday afternoon
FOX Weather is tracking an extreme heat dome that will bring life-threatening temperatures to millions across the U.S. Fans attending the outdoor Cubs game in Chicago will face brutal temperatures this afternoon. FOX Weather correspondent Robert Ray is reporting live from Wrigley Field ahead of the game.
NEW YORK – As the dog days of summer cling to the nation with a fiery grip, a sprawling heat dome continues to turn daily life into a sweltering ordeal.
From the baked pavements of the Deep South to the record-shattering humidity of the Midwest and Northeast, nearly 100 million Americans are enduring "feels-like" temperatures that routinely breach the triple-digit mark. Cities accustomed to milder summers are gasping under conditions usually reserved for desert landscapes, with century-old temperature records toppling like dominoes.
The question on everyone's parched lips isn't just "when will it end?" but "what comes next?"
To that end, The Old Farmer’s Almanac has just unveiled its fall 2025 prediction, offering a glimpse into what the next season may bring.
Beachgoers walk along the shore near the Belmont Pier in Long Beach on the first day of fall. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The answer, for many, is a bittersweet one: don't pack away those fans just yet as the steamy echo of the scorching summer we're currently enduring will likely persist for months to come.
According to the almanac's seasoned prognosticators, this fall is largely predicted to be warmer-than-normal across a significant portion of the U.S. The western half of the U.S. is also expected to experience particularly steamy conditions.
"Your trek to the pumpkin patch may be a bit steamy this year," The Old Farmer’s Almanac warns.
Regions bracing for a warmer-than-average autumn include the Southeast and West, extending the summer's heat. However, regions like the Northeast and Appalachians can anticipate cooler, drier conditions, potentially leading to extra colorful fall foliage.
For the Northeast, these cooler temperatures, combined with below-average rainfall, could lead to a particularly vibrant fall foliage display.
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Speaking of rainfall, the almanac predicts below-average precipitation for much of the U.S., stretching from California to Florida and up to Maine. However, some exceptions are noted, with the high Plains and Pacific Northwest advised to keep their umbrellas handy due to anticipated wetter conditions.
Adding to the seasonal outlook, the almanac also warns of above-normal hurricane activity, with a high count of named storms expected to persist through November, the official end of hurricane season.
What does NOAA say?
NOAA's 90-day precipitation outlook for Sept.-Nov. 2025 (FOX Weather)
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center issues fresh 90-day outlooks each month through the next several months and generally agrees with the warm autumn forecast across much of the West and into the Southeast, but disagrees about New England.
Instead, NOAA is going with high confidence of a warmer-than-average autumn, expressing its highest confidence over Maine. Forecasters point to above-average water temperatures off the New England shores as providing a boost in temperatures inland.
NOAA's 90-day precipitation outlook for Sept.-Nov. 2025 (FOX Weather)
For rainfall, NOAA is at odds with The Old Farmer's Almanac in highlighting above-average rainfall along much of the Eastern Seaboard, while the Almanac is predicting a drier fall.
The two are split in the Plains and Rockies with general agreement of drier weather in the southern Plains and Rockies, but the Almanac is leaning wetter for the Northern Plains while NOAA is signaling a drier outlook.