Warm And Dry Winter Likely For Southwest US

By Katherine Fritcke
Published: Saturday, November 12, 2016 - 10:49pm
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
La Niña pattern.

It will be a warm and dry winter, according to the National Weather Service. As the water temperature in the central Pacific Ocean remains slightly higher than normal, meteorologists predict a weak La Niña conditions for the Southwest.

Chris Kuhlman with the weather service says while it’s still early, those conditions are a good indicator of the weather in the months to come.

“Just going off past episodes, it does seems like it will be warmer and drier. But nothing is for certain, that’s for sure," Kuhlman said.

Kuhlman said there’s a 55-percent chance La Nina will stick around through the winter, meaning the drought in much of the Southwest will continue.

Science