Weak La Niña to Shape North-South Winter Split Across the U.S.

Federal forecasters issued a winter outlook this week that points to a weak La Niña persisting through much of the 2025-26 meteorological winter, setting up a season with a pronounced north-south split in temperature and precipitation across the United States. The Climate Prediction Center and NOAA said La Niña conditions are present in the tropical Pacific and are expected to weaken to ENSO neutral by early spring 2026, shaping higher odds of wetter, colder conditions in the Pacific Northwest, northern Rockies and parts of the Upper Midwest, and drier, warmer conditions across much of the southern tier.

NOAA highlighted an elevated chance of above-normal precipitation from Washington’s Cascades eastward through the northern Rockies and into the Plains and western Great Lakes, with the period from December through February flagged as especially promising for heavy snow in places such as the Cascades, northern Sierra, Idaho, Montana and northern Wyoming. Forecasters said ski areas including Mt. Baker, Crystal Mountain, Schweitzer, Big Sky, Jackson Hole and Steamboat could see frequent storm cycles. The outlook also shows increased potential for lake-effect snow across the Great...