Super El Niño Will Determine Which Parts of US Get Rain and Snow This Winter

Super El Niño will determine which parts of US get rain and snow this winter

By Andrew Freedman, Mary Gilbert, CNN (CNN) — This winter is set to feature numerous strong storms affecting the West Coast and southern half of the country, according to the official winter outlook released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The outlook is dominated by the influence of the near-record strong El Niño

New maps show US winter outlook as El Niño strengthens

Forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center issued updated outlooks for the winter season on Thursday.

Super El Niño fueled winter could unleash more storms, driving more active pattern into the South

THE TAKEAWAYEl Niño is expected to have a large influence on this winter across the U.S., with more storms expected from Southern California across the entire Southern Tier to Florida, according to NOAA's latest seasonal forecast.Government forecasters said the increased likelihood of a stormy pattern across the southern U.S. could help ease ongoing drought across the Southwest and the Southern Plains. Meanwhile, NOAA's forecast called for warme…

Forecasters Warn of Potential Major Snowstorms Across 19 States as El Niño Strengthens

Meteorologists say millions of Americans across 19 states could face heavy snow, dangerous ice and widespread flooding this winter as a rapidly strengthening El Niño takes shape over the Pacific Ocean, according to a ZeroHedge report citing forecasters and regional news outlets. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center placed the odds of a strong-to-very strong El Niño persisting into early 2027 abov…

NOAA Winter Outlook Favors a Wet Winter for California, the Southwest and Colorado

[NOAA Winter Outlook UPDATED: October 15, 2026] Note: This is a seasonal outlook, not a snowfall forecast. NOAA does not project seasonal snowfall totals because snow is generally not predictable more than a week in advance. The NOAA winter outlook, released Thursday, favors a warm northern tier and a wet southern tier for December through February, as a very strong […]