According to NOAA the meteorological summer (JUN/JUL/AUG) season of 2021 was the hottest on record given the 127-year climatology. Most of the West U.S. including California set all-time records for hottest summer on record. Nationally, the summer 2021 season was also wet ranking 8th wettest on record. Mississippi observed their wettest summer on record.

According to Colorado State University, seasonal activity so far in 2021 is about twice normal. Based on the rate of activity so far, seasonal forecasts issued earlier this summer may not be sufficiently active. NOAA's upper limit of their range forecast indicate up to 9 additional tropical storms, 5 hurricanes and 2 intense hurricanes.

The warm SSTA pattern in the northern Gulf of Mexico just-prior to Ida's passage and off the U.S. East Coast as the remains of Ida traversed the northern Mid-Atlantic States provided a significant contribution to the storms unprecedented intensity over such a large (inland) stretch.

The NOAA/CPC monthly drought outlook for the U.S. indicates the Upper Midwest U.S. drought eases in September. However, the southwest Great Plains observes developing drought conditions. The GFS (model) is quite dry and exceptionally hot for the first half of September in the southwest/south Great Plains.