HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- From wintry mornings to warm and sunny afternoons, Houston has been on a temperature rollercoaster this week.

It's a good sign, ABC13 Meteorologist Elyse Smith says, because that means the normal seasonal transition from the warmer to cooler months is taking shape. But is this early cold snap a signal to even colder weather ahead this winter?

Let's start at the beginning. With the current La Niña expected to last through at least February , the usual pattern that accompanies it means Southeast Texas would favor a warmer and drier winter. That doesn't mean there won't be some big cool downs or hotter days, not to mention stormy patterns too. But overall, the way the jet stream sets in across the country during a La Niña favors that pattern overall.

There are s

See Full Page