FOREST CITY – After a year of mostly neutral Pacific Ocean conditions, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says La Niña is back — and that could shape how northern Iowa experiences the upcoming winter.

According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, cooler-than-normal waters in the Pacific are signaling the return of La Niña. The pattern is expected to persist through December and January before gradually fading toward neutral conditions by early spring.

So, what does that mean for us here in northern Iowa?

Meteorologists say La Niña winters typically bring colder temperatures across the Upper Midwest, along with an active jet stream that can lead to frequent swings between snowstorms and cold snaps. While every La Niña behaves a little differently, the

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