The weather-roiling La Niña that forecasters have been predicting for months will likely arrive late and in a weakened form, limiting its impact and allowing other climate patterns to hold more

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center has released new guidance on the possibility of a La Niña weather pattern in the coming months, which could have an impact on fall and winter weather across the Chicago area.

Close-to-average sea temperatures this summer could dictate what La Niña has in store for parts of North America in the fall and winter seasons, according to findings by the National Weather Service.

The delayed onset means La Niña will have a weaker atmospheric effect, allowing other weather patterns, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation, to have more sway. This pattern could play a critical role in shaping winter conditions in the US Northeast, where it might determine whether the region experiences a mild or severe winter.

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center has released updated guidance on the possibility of a La Niña weather pattern emerging later this year, and it could have impacts on the fall and winter weather that Chicago experiences.