Winter Weather Forecast For Oceanside And Beyond

OCEANSIDE, CA — With the official start of the 2021-22 winter a little more than two months away, some residents of Oceanside may be eager for the cooler weather to arrive.

Specific, long-term weather predictions can help with planning outdoor activities best suited for the cooler temps. To help you plan ahead, the private weather company AccuWeather has released its 2021 winter weather forecast.

Daily forecasts for Oceanside are listed through the end of December. After that, AccuWeather lists the historical average temperature for the rest of the winter.

Not much rain is predicted between now and the end of the year. "The lack of early-season precipitation will allow the ongoing wildfire season to extend all the way into December, an unusually late end to the season," according to AccuWeather.

Nationally, AccuWeather predicts an eventful winter similar to the 2020-21 season, which brought record-breaking snowfall and blackouts to some parts of the country.

Meteorologists also expect the return of La Niña, a weather phenomenon that occurs when the water near the equator of the Pacific Ocean is cooler than average. It will shape part of the overall weather patterns this winter, weather experts said.

The upcoming La Niña will be weaker than the one experienced last winter, in turn, opening up the door for other elements to factor into the winter forecast — especially during the second half of the season. This year, the polar vortex may also be weaker, according to AccuWeather.

This could result in colder air from the Arctic to slide southward into the U.S. before the official start of meteorological winter, which is on Dec. 1. The first official astronomical day of winter arrives on Tuesday, Dec. 21.

In the Southwest, meteorologists predict that the lack of early-season precipitation will allow the ongoing wildfire season to extend all the way into December. As we move to January, the prospects for rain will increase for California — good news for areas of the state where wildfires have raged.

As the calendar turns from December to January, the prospects for rain will increase for California. Typically during La Niña, storms from the Pacific Ocean generally track toward Washington and Oregon, leaving California high and dry, but a different story may unfold later this winter.

This will open the door for meaningful precipitation across California during the second half of the winter, but what does come down is "not going to be a drought buster."

The lack of persistent storms will lead to most of California and the rest of the Southwest being milder than normal this winter, although a few cold spells can’t be ruled out, particularly across the interior Southwest.

In the Pacific Northwest, a wet winter is anticipated with plenty of snow in the mountains, AccuWeather reports. The early arrival of the winter storms will also spell an end to the active wildfire season for the region as rain and snow help to douse any flames.

Winter could pound the Northeast with a vengeance starting in mid-December before potentially intensifying in January, which could include a heightened risk for nor'easters and, yes, snowstorms at the tail end of the season.

Meanwhile, the winter weather will take its time arriving in the Southeast, with only mild temps in some places throughout December. Southerners, however, could be in store for a big dip in the temperature with the arrival of 2022, AccuWeather reports. Spells of rain and thunderstorms are expected so keep the rain gear handy.

To see how the weather is shaping up for the remainder of the country, click here.

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