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Winter Outlook for 2022-23: La Niña Lives On

winter weather

A photo of snow in downtown Mount Airy on Friday, January 10, 2025

Jan 13, 2025

Rapid Reaction: Snow Finally Returns Before an Icy Finish

After almost three years of waiting, measurable snow fell again across parts of North Carolina late last week, ending long-running and, in some cases, record-setting snow-free streaks. The setup for snow started taking shape more than a week earlier, when our first shot of chilly air this year arrived behind a cold front on January…
A photo of smoke from the Linville Gorge wildfire in March 2017 over Burke County, NC

Nov 13, 2024

Winter Outlook 2024-25: A Decisive Season for Droughts

It’s setting up to be a consequential winter for North Carolina, with the fate of a newly emerging drought, along with a potentially record-breaking “snow drought,” hanging in the balance. In our 13th annual winter outlook, we look at the potential La Niña pattern that could be in place this winter, the climatology of similar…
A map of total snow accumulations during the 2023-24 winter in North Carolina

Mar 18, 2024

Winter Recap 2023-24: Rain Returns, but Snow Stays Away

The long-awaited arrival of El Niño late last year helped our winter start with a splash, with multiple rain events across the state in December and January. But prevailing warm weather meant no snow for most areas, with the last flakes now a distant memory from more than two years ago. To wrap up this…
A map of global sea surface temperature anomalies in October 2023

Nov 15, 2023

Winter Outlook 2023-24: Awaiting Wetter Weather With El Niño’s Return

Following a snow-free year in many areas and with drought now gripping more than half of the state, a pattern change – both from what we’ve seen in recent winters and in recent weeks – would be welcome. So could the newly emerging El Niño be the answer? In our twelfth annual winter outlook, we’ll…
A map of total snowfall in North Carolina from November 2022 through March 2023.

Mar 24, 2023

Winter Recap 2022-23: Snow is Scarce, Blooms Come Early

A few cold days before Christmas were the only taste of winter many areas felt all season, as warm and often spring-like weather dominated the season overall in North Carolina. In this look back on the winter that wasn’t, we review the seasonal rankings and snowfall totals, revisit our winter outlook, and look ahead to…
A photo of flowers blooming from February 23

Mar 2, 2023

February Springs Forward with Unseasonable Warmth

Month-long warmth in February set local temperature records, but the weather cooperated for a night of outdoor hockey. Meanwhile, early-month rains washed away drought in North Carolina. We also preview winter’s potential return in March. A Spring Sensation Persistent and unprecedented warmth in the past month made it one of our warmest Februarys ever. According…
A photo of the NHL's mobile refrigeration unit truck parked outside Carter-Finley Stadium

Feb 9, 2023

An Ice Storm Brewing: Previewing the NHL Stadium Series Game in Raleigh

An outdoor ice rink might not be a common occurrence around North Carolina, but next weekend, tens of thousands of fans – plus a few dozen talented National Hockey League players – will gather at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium to witness such a sight. This year marks the 20 years since the NHL played its…
A photo of sunshine over the ocean along the Crystal Coast

Jan 17, 2023

The Weather Year in Review: Familiar Patterns with New Twists in 2022

It was a year that started and ended with totally out-of-season weather, and included just about every extreme in between, from hot to cold, wet to dry, and frozen to fire. Ultimately, 2022 was the product of both persistent climate patterns and trends that have become familiar in recent years, along with the return of…
A map of global sea surface temperature anomalies from October 2022

Nov 17, 2022

Winter Outlook for 2022-23: La Niña Lives On

A persistent Pacific pattern is back again, putting us in line for a rare triple-dip La Niña this winter. But with each of the past two winters playing out very differently in North Carolina, what can we expect this year? In our eleventh annual winter outlook, we’ll examine the current ENSO conditions, the rarity of…