La Nina Winter Could Bring More Cold and Snow to Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS -- As we close out the month of December, an assistant climatologist with the University of Minnesota says it was a wild month with both winter-like weather and summer-like storms.
Pete Boulay says it's been a December unlike any other...
We had bouts of winter and bouts of extraordinary warmth. Of course, we've now counted up to 15 tornadoes in southern Minnesota. You know, I don't think the Farmers Almanac was predicting tornadoes in Minnesota in December, but it's just been that kind of month.
Tuesday, December 21st marks the winter solstice, a day many people consider to be the start of winter. Boulay says we're in a La Nina weather pattern which has typically meant a colder winter...
It used to be in the olden days, like 30 years ago, having a Lan Nina meant pretty good odds of a cooler and perhaps a little snowier winter. But the last few La Ninas haven't always panned out that way. So, the odds of that being a sure thing for a colder winter is not as much of a sure thing as it used to be.
The outlook for the next week or two will remain fairly active with a chance for snow every couple of days.
Boulay says the long-term outlook is a three-sided coin with equal chances of above-normal, normal, and below-normal temperatures and precipitation.