Weather scientists say Oregon could be in store for a cooler, wetter winter this year.
That’s according to the latest U.S. Winter Outlook, released by the National Weather Service’s Climate Outlook Center. A weak La Niña is predicted to develop this year, which typically sees cooler temperatures with above average rain and snowfall.
La Niña tends to leave the southern parts of the United States warmer and drier than average, while the Pacific Northwest tends to receive a cooler winter with increased precipitation.
Snow falls at West Burnside and Northwest 21st Avenue in Portland around 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2024.
Joni Land / OPB
Weather forecasters across the region gathered at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry on Saturday to discuss the forecast, and what it could mean for the state this year.
Noah Alviz, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Portland, said La Niña usually occurs when sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are below average.
Related: NOAA's annual winter forecast is here. These are the weather predictions for your area
Based on historical trends, Portland could see 5-6 inches of snow between December and January, Alviz said. But the anticipation of La Niña is no guarantee that Oregon will receive several feet of snow this winter.
Last January, an ice storm battered much of the Willamette Valley, killing 15 people and knocking over dozens of trees that destroyed homes and other property. That took place during an El Niño, which usually brings warm and dry winter conditions in the Pacific Northwest.
“You have those anomalies and (forecasts are) not a guarantee,” Alviz said of the climate outlook. “We’re speaking on general trends.”
He said people should always be prepared for winter weather emergencies, no matter the forecast.