What A La Niña Winter Looks Like For Utah

Utah is expecting another year of La Niña conditions this winter for the third year in a row.  

The super dry summer in Southern Utah is an indicator of how winter will turn out and it's not looking great. The state has seen less than average rainfall over the past few months, which is predicted to continue.  

Utah will see a warmer and drier winter because of conditions in the Pacific Ocean, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. La Niña will bring stronger trade winds through a jet stream of cold air which makes conditions warmer across Utah.  

The southern states could see more flooding and even a harsher hurricane season because of it.  

Northern Utah may see different aspects of La Niña this winter since the state is in a “middle ground” TownLift said. For skiers and snowboarders, this is good news because a wetter or heavier snowfall could be seen.  

Southern Utah won’t see that kind of snowfall.  

In fact, it looks like that area of Utah will see more drought conditions to go with the dry summer it has had. Less rainfall and less snow will lead the state back to where it was a few years ago during the ongoing drought. Very little monsoon has been seen this summer with the most significant rain occurring just a few days ago and lasting a few hours in St. George. 

Utahns can expect a good time at ski resorts up north this winter while Southern Utah will see a less-than-ideal winter.