NOAA has released its outlook for the 2025-2026 winter season, and it leans toward warmer-than-average temperatures for a large area of the U.S., including Florida.
Stretching from California down the Gulf Coast and up to the northeast, NOAA is expecting overall temperatures to be slightly warmer than normal.
Normal highs in December through February in South Florida are in the mid-70s.
A big factor in the forecast is due to La Niña (cooler Pacific waters), which is expected to last through most of winter before transitioning back to a neutral phase (normal conditions) late winter or early spring.
During a La Niña winter, temperatures are warmer than normal in the South and cooler than normal in the North. We will also have to keep an eye on drought conditions in the southern U.S.
Portions of the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee are highlighted for possible below-average rain this season.
As of October, Central and South Florida are no longer in a drought. But as we head into the dry season, there is still a deficit in annual precipitation totals. Vice versa, a wetter weather pattern is forecast to be more common in northern states, especially in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.
