La Niña is here: What you need to know for the winter months ahead

With La Niña underway and global temperatures continuing to rise, experts warn of an increased risk of wildfires and sever storms across the country.

Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center shows that La Niña conditions are likely to continue through February 2026. Here's what that means.

Temperature changes with La Niña

La Niña is part of a natural climate cycle known as the El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which varies between phases caused by changes in trade winds and ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean. Typically La Niña aligns with a cooler winter and El Niño years are more moderate, but as global temperatures rise the effects of these natural cycles are changing.

Tom Di Liberto, a scientist for Climate