La Niña Returns and Could Disrupt Winter Weather Across the United States

La Niña returns to the Pacific this winter 2025

Impact on winter and hurricanes

NOAA warns of increased activity

After a brief absence, the La Niña climate pattern has returned — and meteorologists say it could have a notable impact on the winter of 2025.

This phenomenon, part of the natural El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, involves an anomalous cooling of tropical Pacific Ocean waters near the equator.

Although the ocean temperature variations may seem minor, the global ripple effects can be significant.

La Niña Returns to the Pacific in 2025

I DO NOT Endorse NOAA’s Winter Temperature Outlook.

As I pointed out last year, they are making the same error again: relying on the climatology of a Strong La Niña when a Strong La Niña is neither present nor forecast to develop.

If you want a Winter Outlook from a Winter… pic.twitter.com/m8dyRA0149

— Mark Margavage (@MeteoMark) October 17, 2025

La Niña is defined by cooler-than-normal waters in the central and eastern Pacific, which disrupt atmospheric circulation patterns and alter global rainfall, drought, and storm trends.

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In the United States, the impacts are typically split geographically.

The northern states tend to experience colder, wetter winters, while the southern regions often face warmer, drier conditions.

A Cycle Returning Sooner Than Expected

The official NOAA Winter outlook was released today! With a La Niña expected to persist into the winter, the CPC has shown a SLIGHT favoring toward seeing below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation in MN & WI for this upcoming winter. Details below. #mnwx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/pB2Cgzcizt

— NWS Twin Cities (@NWSTwinCities) October 16, 2025

According to USA Today, La Niña had already appeared during the 2024–2025 winter, making its quick reappearance surprising to experts.

While this episode is considered moderate to weak, scientists warn that it could still disrupt weather patterns in the months ahead.

La Niña itself doesn’t pose a direct threat, but the associated weather phenomena — such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts — can have serious consequences.

The interaction between cooler Pacific waters and global atmospheric dynamics shapes rainfall, temperature, and storm activity worldwide.

Impact on the Atlantic Hurricane Season

AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva recently warned that the return of La Niña this 2025 winter “favors an active end to the Atlantic hurricane season.”

As of October 21, there had already been 13 named storms, including four hurricanes.

On average, a season produces 14 storms and 7 hurricanes, suggesting that activity could increase before the season ends.

Matthew Rosencrans, lead hurricane forecaster at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), explained that: “La Niña conditions are associated with twice the level of storm activity in November compared to neutral or El Niño years.”

This happens because cooler Pacific waters weaken wind shear in the Atlantic, creating a more favorable environment for tropical storm development.

Experts agree that even a short-lived La Niña event could have major implications for the upcoming US winter. Its effects will likely determine:

The intensity of the hurricane season,

Rainfall levels in the South, and

The extent of snowfall across the North and Midwest.

The La Niña winter 2025 is shaping up to be a critical period for climate forecasters, who are closely monitoring the Pacific’s cooling trend and its global repercussions.