Winter 2021 May Bring Above Normal Precipitation To IL

ILLINOIS — For the second year in a row, La Niña climate conditions will bring above-average temperatures this winter to a good portion of the United States, according to a new forecast released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Meanwhile, residents of other states better bundle up because a colder, wetter season is on the way.

Illinois is among those slated to see above normal temperatures and above normal precipitation, according to the 2021 winter forecast released Thursday by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, a division of the National Weather Service.

NOAA’s new forecast joins others released in previous weeks, including The Farmers’ Almanac, The Old Farmer’s Almanac, and AccuWeather.

• Old Farmer's Almanac Says A Cold, Dry Winter Is Ahead In IL
• Farmers' Almanac Winter Forecast: What's In Store For Illinois
• Winter Weather Forecast For Illinois: See Daily Predictions

According to NOAA’s winter weather forecast, Illinois, as well as others in the Great Lakes, could see wetter-than-average conditions, and an equal chance for below average, near average of above-average temperatures.

The NOAA forecast covers three months, December-February.

Weather officials anticipate wetter-than-average conditions across portions of the northern United States, primarily in the Pacific Northwest, northern Rockies, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and western Alaska.

Experts are also keeping a close eye on states battling ongoing drought.

Widespread severe-to-exceptional drought will continue to dominate the western half of the continental U.S., Northern Plains and the Missouri River Basin. However, the Pacific Northwest, northern California, the upper Midwest and Hawaii are most likely to experience drought improvement.

In terms of temperature, warmer-than-average conditions will most likely be reported across the southernmost tier of the United States as well as much of the eastern United States.

States in the southeast, such as Florida, are most likely to see an increase in temperatures, while experts expect below-average temperatures for southeast Alaska and the Pacific Northwest eastward to the northern Plains.

The Upper Mississippi Valley and small areas of the Great Lakes have equal chances for below-, near- or above-average temperatures, according to NOAA.

NOAA’s seasonal outlook provides a look at the likelihood temperatures and total precipitation will be above, near or below average, and anticipates how drought conditions will change in the months ahead. The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations, since snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.

NOAA is expected to update the winter outlook on Nov. 19.