IRON MOUNTAIN — Summer-like weather might linger into fall in the Upper Peninsula as the National Weather Service predicts warmer-than-average conditions over the next three months.

One reason for the warm outlook is the expectation of a La Nina comeback. This periodic cooling of water in the central Pacific Ocean has waned over the past few months but appears likely to return by fall, forecasters say.

This would be the second autumn in a row that La Nina has played a role in the seasonal forecast.

“The August-September-October temperature outlook favors above-normal temperatures for the western half of the continental U.S., the Midwest and the eastern quarter of the continental U.S.,” NWS forecaster Dan Collins said.

Partway through October, the pattern may start to flip, ushering in some of the coolest air the Midwest and Northeast have experienced since spring, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

“The best chance of seeing some early cold is not until late October or November,” he said.

The precipitation forecast favors a drier trend, with a 40% chance of below-normal rainfall through October.

The U.S. Drought Monitor, however, shows no areas of concern in the central Upper Peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin.