NEW YORK – Winter will be here before we know it, and the emergence of a La Niña weather pattern could impact the types of winter weather we see in the US

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) released its official winter outlook for 2024-2025 on Thursday, mapping several temperature and precipitation trends for the coming season, as well as expected changes in drought conditions across the country.

CPC forecasters said they still expect a La Niña to develop during the fall and play a role in temperatures and precipitation trends across the country. However, any developing La Niña is expected to be weak and short-lived, forecasters said.

In general, a La Niña pattern means wetter and cooler weather for the northern part of the US and warmer, drier weather in the southern part. That seems to be in line with what CPC forecasters predict for the winter.

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Temperature outlook

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The winter weather outlook favors above-average temperatures for most of the US, from the southwestern east to most of the central US, as well as for all of the eastern US, from the southeast through the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast and New England.

Further north, the CPC highlighted that areas of the Northern Tier, from the Pacific Northwest to the Northern Rockies and Northern Plains, see the greatest chance of below-average temperatures.

The CPC says there is also a chance of above-average seasonal temperatures in northern Alaska, while southern parts of the state are likely to be below average.

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Precipitation outlook

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The CPC seasonal precipitation outlook shows increased chances for below-average totals along most of the country’s Southern Tier, from the Southwest through the Southern Plains, along the Gulf Coast and into the Southeast.

The CPC says parts of southeastern Alaska and the Alaska Panhandle could see precipitation totals below average this winter.

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However, the CPC says the greatest chance of below-average precipitation totals is expected in the Southwestern and Southern Plains.

There is a chance of above-average precipitation this winter in parts of the Pacific Northwest, the northern Rockies, parts of the Great Lakes region and western and northern Alaska.

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Drought outlook

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The drought in the US will also remain a concern until the end of January. The CPC has designated much of the southern part of the country for drought conditions that are persisting or even expanding.

Much of the country, from the Southwest through the Plains, the Deep South and parts of the Great Lakes region, is likely to experience continued drought.

The CPC said it expects drought to develop in other areas of the Southwest, such as the Four Corners region, as well as parts of the Southeast.