Sun Oct 20 14:50:00 UTC 2024: **Summary of NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook (2024-2025)**

1. **La Niña Influence**: NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center anticipates a slowly-developing La Niña will affect winter conditions across the U.S. from December 2024 to February 2025.

2. **Precipitation Predictions**:
– **Wetter-Than-Average Conditions**: Expected in the northern U.S., particularly the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes region, as well as northern and western Alaska.
– **Drier-Than-Average Conditions**: Predicted for the Four Corners region of the Southwest, and extending to the Southeast, Gulf Coast, and lower mid-Atlantic states.

3. **Drought Concerns**:
– Persistent drought conditions are expected to worsen in the central and southern Plains. Over a quarter of the continental U.S. is currently experiencing at least moderate drought.
– A brief respite in spring 2024 saw minimal drought, but conditions have since deteriorated.

4. **Investment in Predictive Infrastructure**: A $100 million investment in NOAA’s high-performance computing system aims to enhance weather, climate, and ocean predictions.

5. **Community Preparation**: NOAA’s seasonal outlooks are designed to help communities prepare for likely weather events, aiming to minimize impacts on lives and livelihoods.

6. **Resources for the Public**: Websites like drought.gov and climate.gov provide tools and information on climate-driven hazards.

7. **Next Update**: NOAA’s three-month outlook will be updated monthly, with the next update scheduled for November 21, 2024.

This forecast is vital for understanding potential weather impacts and preparing accordingly for the upcoming winter.

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