The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it is predicting La Niña conditions to return this winter, which will play a major role in upcoming weather patterns.
In its seasonal forecast, NOAA says conditions are expected to be warmer and drier than usual in the South, wetter in the Midwest and North, and cooler than usual in the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest.
The world experienced a prolonged La Niña from 2020 to 2023, which brought winters that were warmer than usual in the Eastern and Southern U.S., while being cooler than usual in the West. The Midwest, Northeast and parts of Arizona and California had wetter-than-usual conditions, while the Pacific Northwest and Florida were drier than average.
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Scientists say a weak La Niña also occurred last winter, but other factors did not have a dominant effect on climate. In recent years, overall climate change has resulted in both La Niña and El Niño winters being warmer than usual. Last winter was the 27th-warmest in U.S. history; the winter before was the warmest on record.
NOAA’s projections come as a sudden shift in weather patterns is expected later next week. Forecasters say a massive cold front will sweep through much of the U.S., dropping temperatures to well below average by Thanksgiving weekend.
