NOAA's 2024-25 winter forecast maps show what to expect in Ohio

The Climate Prediction Center's annual U.S. winter forecast report predicts strong La Niña conditions are expected across the country. The U.S. has a 74% chance of La Niña conditions, while the chance of it being a moderate event is 40%.

According to the National Weather Service, La Niña events are the periodic cooling of sea surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific. This period usually occurs every 3 to 5 years, but can also occur occasionally. Last year, the U.S. struggled with El Niño conditions, which are the opposite of La Niña, meaning the ocean in the central and eastern Pacific warms to above-average sea surface temperatures.

During La Niña events, the northern part of the United States typically experiences colder and stormier winter conditions, while the south is warmer and less stormy.