La Niña Expected to Last Through Fall

Despite the welcomed rain, an update Thursday has meteorologists confident that La Niña conditions will persist through the end of the year, for the third year in a row, and that’s not good for California. The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center says there is a 91% chance it will last through November, bringing above-average temperatures and dry conditions. The state receives most of its moisture within the short winter window, and if missed, it will drive the state deeper into drought. Predictions show a 40% chance of hotter fall months, yet at this point, the state is not expected to be above or below average rainfall this winter, so hope remains the moisture window does not close. By December, La Niña is expected to weaken to about 50%.