November started warm in the West and cold in the East, but the combined effects from the current La Niña pattern, the Madden-Julian Oscillation, and the potential for a rare November Sudden Stratospheric Warming event could bring a major pattern shift later in the month and into early December.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the week leading up to and including thanksgiving could bring a colder pattern across the West while milder air could overspread the East.
Later in the month and into early December, a transition to a colder pattern is in the forecast for much of the central and northern United States. The pattern change will likely favor a transition to more winter-like conditions across the west-central and central United States, including a potentially for heavy snow and much below normal temperatures.
Before the pattern shift comes into effect, NOAA encourages reading up on Winter Safety. Make sure you know the differences between a winter weather watch and a winter weather warning, know what to do before a winter storm hits, and take the time to learn the signs of hypothermia.
