Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin Winters Might Be Warmer Than Normal

Iowans can rejoice! It turns out that winter won't be so bad in Iowa after all! One of the biggest factors impacting Iowa's upcoming and coming winter weather is El Nino, according to Iowa Weather. El Nino is back for the first time in 4 years and will heavily impact weather patterns for the continental U.S.

El Nino is considered a climate phenomenon in which the equatorial Pacific Ocean warms. This phenomenon can heavily impact global weather patterns. We midwesterners might be able to keep the Crocs by the door and throw them on when we're outside grilling in the middle of January. It could be icy, you might want to stay safe and be sure they're in sports mode...

Warmer Than Normal

Would you rather have a snowy winter with temperatures on the warmer side or do you absolutely hate the snow and the temperature doesn't bother you as much? I will always lean on the side of winter with a few more snowflakes, rather than temps and wind chill below zero. If Iowa Weather is correct, Iowa and much of the other midwestern states should experience a "warmer-than-normal" winter in 2023-2024.

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My biggest question is what are the odds of our winter being warmer than normal?

It appears Iowa is leaning toward having a 33-40% chance of having a warmer-than-normal winter from December to January. I'll take those odds! In the map above it looks like a large portion of the Midwest could possibly experience a warmer winter as well.

Iowa Weather claims

This means that Iowans can expect milder winter days and perhaps a reduction in the severity of cold snaps. While winter will still be chilly, the overall trend is towards a more temperate season. However, it’s important to keep in mind that climate patterns can be unpredictable, and there’s a degree of variability in the forecasts

Yes, we still will have to eventually get our winter jackets on but the more we can avoid the freezing cold temperatures and bitter windchill, I'm all for it.