La Niña Conditions Increase Likelihood of Wetter, But Not Necessarily Snowier, Winter for Ohio
Columbus, OH – November 14, 2025 – Ohioans should prepare for a possibly wetter-then-average winter, but whether that precipitation falls as snow remains uncertain, according to the latest forecast released by the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) on October 16. The developing La Niña pattern is a key factor influencing the outlook, though pinpointing specific snowfall amounts remains impossible more than a week in advance.
The CPC forecast indicates an increased probability of above-normal precipitation for Ohio between December 2025 and February 2026. However, the forecast does not detail the breakdown of that precipitation - how much will be rain, snow, or ice. Snowfall totals are heavily dependent on the strength and track of individual winter storms, which are difficult to predict with accuracy beyond short-term forecasts.
Temperature predictions for the same period are more ambiguous. The CPC currently projects an equal chance of above, below, or near-normal temperatures across Ohio.
“Seasonal forecasts for El niño and La Niña and their associated impacts on our weather are an vital climate intelligence tool,” said World Meteorological Institution secretary-general Celeste Saulo in a recent statement.”They translate into millions of dollars of economic savings for key sectors like agriculture, energy, health and transport and have saved thousands of lives when used to guide preparedness and response actions.”
La Niña, characterized by unusually cool surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific ocean, typically influences weather patterns globally. While it frequently enough correlates with wetter conditions in the Ohio Valley, the specific impact on snowfall is less direct.
