La Niña could bring cold, snowy winter to Seattle
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People play at Gas Works Park after a storm blanketed the city with snow in 2019. Photo: David Ryder/Getty Images
Seattle's winter forecast is shaping up to be chilly and wet, driven by weak La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific.
Why it matters: La Niña winters typically bring colder temperatures and increased snowfall to the Pacific Northwest.
Driving the news: In its most recent winter outlook, NOAA predicts wetter-than-average conditions for the entire northern tier of the U.S., including the Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, and northern and western Alaska.
- For Seattle, that means above-average precipitation and possibly more snow.
- Parts of the East Coast and South, meanwhile, are likely to have a milder-than-average winter.
Yes, but: The world's oceans are nearing record warm temperatures, which could dampen some of the predicted weak La Niña's typical effects.
Between the lines: Human-caused climate change could overcome the typical effects of a weak La Niña.
- "Winter for many regions across the US is the fastest warming season of all the seasons," said NOAA climate expert Tom Di Liberto in a press call last week.