Fall is in full swing, but it’s not too soon to look ahead to winter, especially one that could feel considerably different than last year’s dominated by El Niño. A weak La Niña is expected to develop ahead of the season and influence temperatures, precipitation, and by extension, even snow across the United States. La Niña is a natural climate pattern that influences global weather marked by cooler than average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. The effects on weather are most pronounced during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere and have a much weaker influence in the summer.

Other weather articles:

• Newsweek: How atmospheric river forecast could change California’s water problem
• San Francisco Chronicle: PG&E could cut power in 5 Bay Area counties amid red flag warning for wildfire risk
• Fresno Bee: PG&E warns of power shutoffs for fire danger across California. See who may be affected
• Sacramento Bee: Red flag warning issued for Northern California’s interior as forecasts call for strong winds