**DMV Winter 2024-2025: Mild Season Expected Amid Weak La Niña Influence**

As winter 2024-2025 approaches, residents of Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia can expect a milder season influenced by a weak La Niña pattern. According to meteorological forecasts, the Washington, D.C. area is heading into its sixth consecutive year of below-normal snowfall.

The transition from an El Niño to a La Niña pattern means cooler than normal ocean temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean, which promotes weaker global winds. Weaker winds lead to a less active jet stream, resulting in fewer storms and less snow for the DMV region. A typical La Niña winter brings cold air down from Canada into the central United States, but with shallower dips in the jet stream compared to an El Niño winter, warmer conditions are expected for the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

This winter, several weather events that begin as snow may transition to a mix of precipitation and then rain due to the storm track bringing warm air from the south. The Great Lakes and Midwest are likely to see higher snowfall compared to the East Coast.

Previous winters with a weak La Niña rarely brought above-normal snowfall to Washington, D.C. In fact, historical data shows that none of the last eight weak La Niña winters recorded above-normal snowfall. The last significant snowfall during such a pattern was back in the winter of 1995-1996, which remains an anomaly.

Despite the bleak outlook for snow enthusiasts, meteorologists do not anticipate a snowless winter. Forecasts suggest 4-10 inches of total snowfall for the D.C. area. While major snowstorms are less likely, smaller snow events and mixed precipitation are expected.

Adding to the forecast, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) remains in a negative phase, further enhancing warmer conditions as it has in previous years. The negative PDO, coupled with a weak La Niña, suggests warmer-than-normal temperatures for the region, with day and nighttime lows well above average.

Winter officially starts on December 21, but colder weather could arrive sooner. While significant snowfall is not expected, residents should remain prepared for occasional school delays and closures due to winter weather conditions.