UNITED STATES – It is obviously too early to make an accurate winter weather forecast, given that we’re still in August, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take a look at NOAA’s winter climate predictions right now. You’ve probably heard about the chances of La Niña developing, but what does that mean for the climate in December, January, and February across the United States?
Temperature-wise in December, January, and February, the NOAA forecast seems to favor the south having the highest chances of a warmer than normal winter, with chances of temperatures getting colder in relation to the averages increasing the further north you go. In the Pacific Northwest, specifically in Washington, there’s a 40-50% chance of temperatures being below normal. Meanwhile, in California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, and many states in the northern midwest, there’s are equal chances of temperatures being above or below normal.
The seasonal precipitation outlook for December, January, and February looks fairly similar to the seasonal temperature outlook for the same months. In far southern states like Florida, Louisiana, and Texas, there’s a 50-60% probability of below normal precipitation. Just a bit north, states like Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and much of California are leaning towards below normal precipitation.
Meanwhile, a good portion of New England, northern New York, Michigan, and other states in the area are looking at a 40-50% probability of above normal precipitation. And across the country, Washington state and portions of Oregon are looking at a 50-60% probability of above normal precipitation.
