Ohio could be in for more snow this winter
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Ohioans could see a wetter-than-usual winter this year.
Why it matters: Residents may have to dust off their snow blowers and shovels that saw minimal use in recent years.
The big picture: The annual NOAA winter outlook calls for weak La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean to be a key factor in influencing the path of storms.
- That means the Great Lakes and the Pacific Northwest are expected to see above-average precipitation from December through February, while warmer and drier conditions are favored along the southern U.S.
State of play: NOAA's climate outlooks are based on probabilities, which means they communicate the odds of a particular outcome, rather than predicting definitive conditions.
- There's about a one in three chance that northeast Ohio will see wetter-than-average precipitation this winter, per NOAA's outlook.
- The other side: There's also a one in three chance for warmer-than-average temperatures this winter.
Zoom in: Cleveland averages nearly 64 inches of snowfall each year with the first measurable snowfall usually arriving in early to mid-November, according to NOAA.
Flashback: Northeast Ohio had a historically mild winter from 2023-24 with the third-warmest temperatures on record and just 26 inches of snowfall.
- That followed a 2022-23 winter featuring just 23 inches of snowfall.
The latest: Parts of the area saw small amounts of hail and graupel early last week.
Yes, but: It quickly melted, and temperatures returned to the 70s this past weekend.