The 2023 to 2024 winter season had its highs and lows across the U.S. However, the overall effect was a mild winter without much snowfall. This coming winter is expected to have a different outcome.

There’s a good chance (75%) for La Niña conditions to develop. If they do, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expects northwestern states like Washington and parts of Montana to have a colder, wetter winter. States in the southeastern U.S. would have the opposite forecast, with dry and warm conditions.

While less snow to shovel might sound good to some, a wetter winter would be helpful for agricultural purposes. USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says drought currently affects about half of the country and could worsen without winter precipitation.

Even so, it’s likely too early to predict exactly what weather to expect this winter. Eric Snodgrass, senior science fellow at Nutrien Ag Solutions, points out that previous years have experienced dry conditions for portions of the year without greatly impacting yields.

“We have to remember that the crop has many ways by which to stay alive and do well, and we’ve engineered that seed to be better performing even when there is some stress,” he said. “We can’t make big, broad assumptions that 2025 is going to be a year of substantial drought risk that destroys yield.”

Read more on winter weather here.