A La Nina climate pattern has arrived and is likely to persist through the winter, according to a recent advisory issued by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. Scientists say there is a greater than 50 percent chance La Nina will also be in place February through April 2018.
This is the second winter in a row with a La Nina, and like last year, forecasters expect this one to be weak. Last year, this weather phenomenon extended from July 2016 to January 2017 before a return to neutral El Nino Southern Oscillation conditions.
NOAA produces seasonal outlooks to help communities prepare for what’s likely to come in the next few months and minimize weather’s impacts on lives and livelihoods.
This could have considerable impacts on the Chetco Bar Fire burn scar and the surrounding areas. Residents in the affected areas have already seen numerous flash flood warnings this year. Drainage issue precautions should be considered at this time in preparation for long-term wet conditions predicted.
“If La Nina conditions develop, we predict it will be weak and potentially short-lived, but it could still shape the character of the upcoming winter,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “Typical La Nina patterns during winter include above average precipitation and colder than average temperatures along the Northern Tier of the U.S. and below normal precipitation and drier conditions across the South.”