La Niña is coming. Here's what that means for winter weather in the U.S.

 

La Niña will most likely be joining us for the winter again, according to federal forecasters.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center announced on Thursday that La Niña conditions have developed and are expected to continue, with an 87% chance that they will be in place from December to February.

La Niña (translated from Spanish as "little girl") is not a storm, but a climate pattern that occurs in the Pacific Ocean every few years and can impact weather around the world.

The U.S. is expected to feel its effects on temperature and precipitation, which could in turn have consequences for things such as hurricanes, tornadoes and droughts.

Forecasters point out that this is actually the second La Niña winter in a row, a not-uncommon phenomenon that they call a "double-dip." The most recent period lasted from August 2020 to April 2021. (More below on what has happened since.)

"Our scientists have been tracking the potential development of a La Niña since this summer, and it was a factor in the above-normal hurricane season forecast, which we have seen unfold," Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, said in a news release. "La Niña also influences weather across the country during the winter, and it will influence our upcoming temperature and precipitation outlooks."

NOAA will release its official winter outlook on Oct. 21. In the meantime, here's a primer on how La Niña works and what it could mean for different parts of the country.

The Article appeared on NPR