NOAA has released its seasonal outlook for the winter months, which predicts the U.S. will slowly transition into a La Niña pattern.

The temperature outlook is forecasting a 50-60 percent probability that southern Alabama will have warmer-than-average temperatures over the winter months. Central and most of north Alabama have slightly lower but still decent odds of a warmer winter — 40 to 50 percent, according to the outlook. (The temperature outlook is at the top of this post.)

Large swaths of the South and the East Coast are favored to see warmer-than-average temperatures, while the Pacific Northwest has greater odds of cooler-than-normal conditions this winter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its U.S. Winter Outlook for the 2024-2025 season on Thursday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its winter outlook, which predicts a drier winter in Colorado.

When La Niña is in effect, wetter than usual conditions are common in the Great Lakes region during winter. There is a 60% chance for a weak and short duration La Niña to emerge between September and November and persist into January to March, according to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center.

On Thursday, NOAA released their winter outlook for the upcoming season with a focus on temperature, precipitation and drought for December through February. NOAA is predicting a drier-than-normal winter season from the Four Corners region of the Southwest,

It's almost here, and with winter right around the corner it's time to take a peek at what the weather trends are saying. For the Carolinas, it may end up being yet another warmer winter. A slowly-developing La Nina is favored to influence conditions for the upcoming winter across most of the country,