Wisconsinites Can Hold Off on Grabbing the Snow Boots for a Little Longer

Thursday, October 10th, 2024 -- 8:01 AM

(Rashad Alexander, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) Wisconsinites can hold off on grabbing their snow boots for a little longer as it looks to be a rather mild and slightly wet fall, a weather pattern that could continue through winter.

According to Rashad Alexander with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the annual National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's U.S winter outlook report from the Climate Prediction Center says that La Niña conditions are strongly expected throughout the country.

The U.S. has a 74% chance of La Niña conditions, while there is a 40% chance of this being a moderate event. La Niña events are the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific, according to the National Weather Service.

This period usually happens every 3 to 5 years, but can also pop up on occasion. Last year, the U.S. dealt with El Niño conditions, which is the opposite of La Niña, meaning the ocean warms to above-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.

During La Niña events, the northern part of the United States typically sees colder and stormier winter conditions while it is warmer and less stormy across the south.

According to NWS, it appears the majority of the state, specifically in western, northern, and southern Wisconsin, have a 33%-40% chance for above normal temperatures this fall.

The eastern border of the state, including northeast Wisconsin, have an even higher likelihood of such temperatures, in the 40%-50% range. Meanwhile, the whole state has equal chances of precipitation this fall.

Equal chances means that there is an unlikelihood of the weather going into a specific direction, as no direction is being favored. The northern part of the Midwest, with parts of Illinois and Iowa are forecast to deal with below normal percentages of precipitation.

A majority of the Midwest, including Wisconsin, appears to be in the equal chances bubble when it comes to milder, or colder, winter temperatures. A majority of the state does look to have above normal chances for precipitation this winter, with a 40%-50% probability.

The NOAA winter forecast does not specify how much precipitation will fall as rain, snow or ice, only that more or less is likely overall. Snow forecasts depend upon the strength and track of winter storms, which generally cannot be predicted more than a week in advance, meteorologists say.

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