Drought and wildfire risks are expected to continue in western states — including Texas — while warmer than average temperatures will greet the Southwest, Gulf Coast and East Coast this winter, according to reports put out by federal weather officials last week.
La Niña is a weather pattern characterized by cold ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are now reporting that the pattern is returning for a third winter — a phenomenon which is rarely seen. That means December, January and February are likely to bring drier than average conditions for most parts of Texas.
Wildfires will remain a risk, and some parts of the country may be in even greater danger than before, said Brad Pugh, operational drought lead with NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
