She Is Bringing Snow For Some. Find Out Who.

La Nina is has been lurking around the west coast of South America since August. That frosty little senorita brings cooler temperatures to the mid- and eastern Pacific waters which in turn impacts atmospheric circulation, which affects the shape of the Jet Stream across North America.  And that determines precipitation and temperatures across the entire continent, essentially shaping the severity of winter storms.

The Jet Stream is impacted by La Nina. Credit: Climate Prediction Center

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center foresees that the La Nina will hang around for the entire ski season into Spring 2021.

La Nina raises the potential for more hurricanes, which we are currently experiencing. As of this writing, we’re up to 28 named storms since the start of the hurricane season.

Classic La Nina weather patterns feature a wave-like jet stream flow across North America, which causes colder and stormier than average conditions across the northern tier and warmer and less stormier conditions across the south.  

That’s good snow news for Alaska, western Canada and the northern Rockies, northern California, Wyoming, and the Northwest. It’s probably drier and warmer for New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California.  Utah and Colorado, and the Northeast as well as parts of the Midwest are in the uncertain zone. 

For an interesting discussion of the different impacts of El Nino and La Nina conditions, click here for seasonal correlations for resorts from Australia to South and North America.

Secret formula at The Farmer’s Almanac has different outcomes. Credit: Farmer’s Almanac

Compare the Climate Predication Center’s forecast with the 2020-21 prediction from the Farmer’s Almanac.  The venerable publication uses its own formula and data for weather prediction, and, as you can see, this year’s future picture is different than what we are hearing from NOAA.

Take your pick.

4 Comments

  1. Bring it. Just hoping for the best.

  2. I think I like Farmer’s A better for snow for my Cannon Mountain NH.
    La Niña seems to predict exact opposite with less moisture and high temps.

  3. Hiller Hardie says:

    Is it a “Climate Predication Center” or a “Climate Prediction Center”?

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