Will Charlotte see a white Christmas? What a La Niña winter means for NC
Winter is quickly approaching, leaving snow lovers and haters on the edge of their seats as they wait to see if any flakes will actually fall in Charlotte.
While no one can say with absolute certainty, forecasters have already made some predictions about the months ahead. Another “La Niña” is expected to play a major role in determining how cold it will get and how much precipitation will fall in the Southeast.
Here’s what to expect from this year’s anticipated La Niña winter in Charlotte:
What is La Niña?
A La Niña is “the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures” in the Pacific Ocean, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration explains. Those changes in temperature affect rainfall in the tropics, which in turn affects weather patterns in the U.S.
“These effects are usually strongest during the winter months when the jet stream is strongest over the United States,” NOAA says.
Typical, NOAA adds, La Niña “causes colder and stormier than average conditions across the North, and warmer and less stormier conditions across the South.”
What does La Niña mean for Charlotte winter forecast?
NOAA’s winter weather outlook predicts “warmer-than-average temperatures” for the Southeast, including the Charlotte area.
The outlook also calls for “drier-than-average conditions” in the region, though Charlotte is not considered to be at risk of lapsing into a drought like other parts of the Southeast.
What’s winter usually like in Charlotte?
A “normal” amount of annual snowfall in Charlotte is 4.3 inches, according to the National Weather Service. That figure is based on snowfall records dating back to 1878.
January is usually the coldest month in Charlotte, per the weather service, with an average temperature of 40.1 degrees.
It last snowed on Christmas in Charlotte was in 2010.
