IRON MOUNTAIN — Temperatures may soar this spring and summer after an unusually mild winter in the Upper Peninsula, forecasters say.

AccuWeather predicts temperatures in the region could range 4 degrees or more above historical averages from June through August.

“Summer 2024 can feature heat waves for many areas across the Plains to Northeast,” said Paul Pastelok, AccuWeather senior meteorologist. “Compared to historical averages, the hottest areas could be over the Great Lakes, Upper Midwest and southwestern Plains.”

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows severe drought in the far western U.P. and moderate drought in southern Iron and Dickinson counties. Currently, there is no drought in Menominee and Marquette counties, but much of the eastern U.P. has moderate drought or abnormally dry conditions.

There is moderate drought in most northern Wisconsin counties bordering the U.P., including Florence.

Drier-than-normal soils are an important consideration in the long-range forecast, which calls for 50% chance of above-normal temperatures through July in the U.P. and northern Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service.

The NWS precipitation outlook is neutral through summer in the U.P. and northern Wisconsin, but AccuWeather’s Pastelok warns that summer heat may contribute to severe storms. Significant wildfires could also break out, due in part to weather patterns dating back to last year, he said.

“The risk of wildfires could increase quickly across the Upper Midwest in the second half of spring because of the record-breaking warmth and dryness across the region this past winter,” Pastelok said.