NOAA reports that a wet winter is forecast for the PNW due to La Nina development

SEATTLE- Winter is just around the corner and according to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Northwest is about to get wet.

NOAA just released its winter outlook for the U.S. and says a La Nina pattern is slowly developing in the Pacific.

La Nina conditions are expected to increase later this fall. This would likely result in a more northerly storm track during the winter months.

A storm heading toward our part of the country is expected to make the coming winter wetter than average.

The temperature outlook for the next 8 to 14 days shows a 33 to 50% chance of temperatures being below normal in Washington State.

At the same time, there is likely to be a high risk of above-average temperatures in large parts of the country.

When it comes to precipitation over the next few weeks, state meteorologists are predicting a 40-50% chance of above-average amounts of rain and snow. This could mean a good start for our snowpack in the Cascades.

Looking at temperatures from November to January, there is an equal chance of temperatures being above or below normal. But when it comes to precipitation early in winter, NOAA projects a 33 to 50 percent chance of above-average precipitation.

This means we have a good chance that it will continue to snow in the mountains and rain in the lowlands for most of the coming winter.