A forecast from meteorologist Max Velocity offers insight into what different regions of the U.S. can expect in terms of snowfall this winter.
Why It Matters
The National Weather Service (NWS) recently announced that La Niña conditions have been detected and are expected to continue from December 2025 to February 2026.
La Niña is the cool phase of a natural, recurring climate cycle known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The other phase is El Niño, which is the warm counterpart. Both can have a global impact on weather, wildfires and ecosystems.
Although La Niña is expected to remain weak, the NWS said it could still influence the upcoming winter season.
What To Know
The north central U.S., the Rockies, parts of the Midwest, Ohio Valley and the Northeast are expected to see above average levels of snowfall this winter, according to the forecast, posted to Velocity’s YouTube channel, which has some 1.4 million subscribers.
“We can expect to see six to 12 inches more snow across areas like this in comparison to a normal winter,” Velocity said in the video.
The meteorologist said 12 to 24 more inches of snowfall than average is expected for parts of the Upper Midwest and the Great Lakes regions.
“A mixture of very cold air and a lot of moisture should come together across these areas to create the potential for significant snowstorms,” Velocity said, adding that these could result in snow totals above 18 inches per storm.
“Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the western United States, especially if you are west of the Serra Nevada,” the meteorologist continued. Velocity said these areas may not see any snowfall events at all this winter.
Up to 24 to 36 inches of below average snowfall was forecast across the Sierra Nevada, Velocity said.
As for the Southern Plains, the Deep South, and the Ohio Valley, this area would be a “toss-up,” said the meteorologist.
“We may have one or two big winter storms that could lead to significant snowfall and ice, similar to what we saw last winter. We might also have a quieter winter in these areas where maybe one or two isolated snowfall events happen,” Velocity said.
What People Are Saying
Max Velocity said in a post on X, Thursday: “With La Niña likely making a return, we anticipate above average snowfall across the Midwest and Northeast. We should see a few Nor’easters this winter too, which will aid higher snowfall totals across the Northeast.”
What Happens Next
For local forecasts, regional NWS branches provide frequent updates on the agency’s website and social media channels.
