La Niña Could Bring Heavy Snowfall to Illinois

It sounds ridiculous to talk about the upcoming winter months when Illinois is in the middle of a brutal heat wave which doesn't show any signs of letting up soon. However, there are already signs of a developing La Niña that could signal that Illinois could get popped by big snow later this year.

I have heard other meteorologists mention this off-hand recently, but it was internet weather personality Ryan Hall who really got my attention. In his new update just shared today, he discusses what is referred to as a La Niña watch which means there are trends right now that seem to indicate we could be in for a different kind of winter.

What does a La Niña winter mean for Illinois?

That polar jet stream roaring over Illinois would mean stormier and wetter for nearly all of Illinois and that moisture translates into snow and probably lots of it. It's good to keep in mind that we're not officially looking at a La Niña yet. You won't see an official declaration of this pattern unless there are multiple months in a row where the current trend maintains. It's just something to keep our eyes on as the rest of summer plays out. If the current pattern remains by the time we reach Fall, look out for winter, Illinois.