La Niña will also likely cause slightly below average snowfall due to an increased prevalence of rain, Peloquin said. Central Ohio normally receives 20 to 30 inches of snow during winter. However, these predictions aren't immovable. "All it takes is one storm to kind of throw that seasonal forecast out the window," Peloquin said.

NOAA meteorologist Tom Di Liberto recently reexamined snowfall trends during La Niña winters and found they tend to be “banner years” for snow in the Pacific Northwest and the northern Rocky Mountains. The Great Lakes region and parts of New England also tend to see above-average snow when a La Niña pattern is in place, Di Liberto said.

La Niña’s effects typically reach peak strength in winter, when it brings wet, cool weather to the Pacific Northwest and Ohio Valley. Meanwhile, the southern half of the U.S. tends to be warmer and drier.