PIERRE, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) A slowly developing La Nina is favored to influence conditions for the upcoming winter across most of the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Winter Outlook for December 2024 through February 2025.
In South Dakota, State Climatologist Laura Edwards says we headed into the official start of winter with a cold November. It’s expected to be a weaker La Nina event, so Edwards explains says that means colder than average temperatures in late January into February this winter in South Dakota
As far as total snowfall/precipitation, Edwards says there’s an increased chance of greater than average amounts. More than one-fourth of the land mass in the continental U.S. is currently in at least a moderate drought and NOAA’s winter precipitation outlook doesn’t show much hope for widespread relief.
