pacific northwest winter forecast 2021 2022

ENSO (El Niño/Southern Oscillation, the whole La Niña and El Niño system) has the greatest influence on weather and climate during the Northern Hemisphere cold season, so forecasters pay especially close attention when it looks like ENSO will be active in the winter.” La Niña generally means a colder, wetter winter in the northwest - which usually delivers above-average snowfall. If it happens, this will be only the third time with three La Niña winters in a row in our 73-year record. The August ENSO Blog says, “The chance that the current La Niña will last through early winter is over 70%. Weather Blog Media Center Guest ConnectionĪccording to the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, it’s likely that a rare La Niña three-peat will happen this winter. – (NOAA Climate.Rare La Niña three-peat and early brisk winter forecast Drought improvement is anticipated in the Pacific Northwest, northern California, the upper Midwest, and Hawaii.

Drought Outlook map for November 2021 through January 2022 predicts persistent drought across the West, Northern Plains, and the Missouri River Basin. Severe drought continues in the west, but the Pacific Northwest, northern California, upper Midwest, and Hawaii are most likely to experience drought improvement. “The Southwest will certainly remain a region of concern as we anticipate below-normal precipitation where drought conditions continue in most areas.”ĭrought is expected to continue and develop in new areas across the country, including along the east coast in Florida and the southeast. while much of the South experiences above-normal temperatures,” Jon Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch at Climate Prediction Center, said in the announcement. “Consistent with typical La Nina conditions during winter months, we anticipate below-normal temperatures along portions of the northern tier of the U.S. La Nina can bring colder and wetter weather to the Northeast. NOAA is also predicting that a moderate La Nina - below-average sea temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean - will also be influencing weather patterns. – (NOAA based on NWS CPC data)Īround the country, it will be warmer than average across the southern tier and most of the east coast, especially in the southeast, and colder in the Pacific Northwest. Drier-than-average conditions are favored in south-central Alaska, southern California, the Southwest, and the Southeast.

Winter Outlook map for precipitation shows wetter-than-average conditions are most likely in parts of the North, primarily in the Pacific Northwest, northern Rockies, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and western Alaska. – (NOAA, using NWS CPC data) This 2021-2022 U.S. Winter Outlook 2021-2022 map for temperature shows warmer-than-average conditions across the South and most of the eastern U.S., while below average temperatures are favored for southeast Alaska and the Pacific Northwest eastward to the Northern Plains. The big storms we all remember - like the snowstorms and nor-easters in 2018 - weren’t forecast months in advance. The predictions are for meteorological winter, so December, January, and February.Īs far as what this means for big snowstorms and cold snaps, NOAA’s predictions are just a forecast and New England could do what it often does and surprise us all. New England has a 40% to 50% chance of above-normal temperatures and an equal chance of above-, below-, or near-normal precipitation though upper Vermont is leaning 33% to 40% above normal. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its winter weather predictions on Thursday morning, and it actually looks like it will be a mild winter. It may be 75 degrees out but the chill is slowly starting to set in, a reminder that New England’s infamous winter weather is on the way.

Pacific northwest winter forecast 2021 2022