SEATTLE (AP) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has declared a La Nina advisory, which could mean rainier winters for Washington state.
The NOAA said Thursday that water temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean have been at least a half-degree celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than normal for three months, which fulfills the agency’s criteria for when a La Nina event has started.
Tropical atmospheric circulations have also been behaving in a La Nina pattern, NOAA forecasters said.
The NOAA says there is a 75% chance that La Nina conditions will persist through the winter.
For Washington state, this will likely mean more rain in the lowlands and more snow in mountainous regions, KOMO-TV reported.
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