A strong El Niño could bring a warmer-than-normal winter to the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest. NOAA’s winter outlook, released yesterday, favors above-average temperatures across North Dakota, Minnesota and much of the northern United States from December through February. Meanwhile, wetter-than-normal conditions are expected across the southern U.S., including the Southern Plains. NOAA says a strengthening El Niño is expected to shift the jet stream farther south, changing storm patterns across the country. Forecasters caution that a warmer winter does not rule out periods of extreme cold or heavy snow. The outlook does not predict seasonal snowfall totals.
