There's apparently no rush to tune up the snowblower that stayed parked in your garage last winter.
On the same fall day on which temperatures climbed to 80 degrees in Lincoln, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gazed into the future, offering a best guess for winter conditions.
Their outlook, which calls for equal chances of above- or below-normal precipitation and temperatures in the Lincoln area, is based largely on expectations of a La Niña weather pattern emerging for the second year in row.
Last season, Lincoln recorded measurable snow on just nine days. And the total of 7.5 inches ranked 117th in 118 years of snowfall data. Only 1967-68, with 7.2 inches of snow, came in behind last season.
Temperatures in Lincoln last winter were well above normal in February after coming in near normal in the previous two months.
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La Niña, the direct opposite of El Niño, occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean drop to lower-than-normal levels.
That typically leads to more wintry conditions along the northern tier of states and warmer, drier conditions in the south.
“If La Niña conditions develop, we predict it will be weak and potentially short-lived, but it could still shape the character of the upcoming winter,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.
Above-average precipitation this winter is expected over the northern Rockies and eastern Great Lakes, including the Chicago area.
Cooler-than-average temperatures are limited to a thin strip from the Pacific Northwest to Minnesota.
Looking for warmer-than-average temperatures? Head south to Texas or New Mexico.
Temps across parts of southwestern Nebraska are expected to be above-average, along with the East Coast.