The forecast may call for 90s this weekend, but winter is only about 3 months away. Last winter was marked by bouts of cold and snowy conditions, and one of the drivers was a weak la niña.

We've all heard of el nino, but la nina is probably lesser known. It's the opposite or cool phase of a spectrum of ocean/atmospheric conditions that develop across the equatorial Pacific.

Stronger trade winds or easterly winds near the equator help draw chilly water to the surface off the west coast of South America.

The different phases fall under an umbrella term, el niño southern oscillation, and accounts for the warm, cool, and neutral phases.

The Climate Prediction Center is currently forecasting a 71% chance for a weak la niña to emerge this winter.

Strong la ninas tend to bring milder than no

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