La Nina oceanic and atmospheric conditions could return to the Pacific Ocean by late summer, portending colder northern storms next winter, the federal Climate Prediction Center reports.

The El Nino that marked California’s late precipitation rally in 2023-24 is rapidly giving way to El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions, according to a collaborative forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service and other institutions.

During La Nina events, cold water in the Pacific pushes the jet stream northward, which tends to lead to drier weather in the southern U.S. and heavy rains and big snows in the Pacific Northwest.

During the last La Nina in 2022-23, abundant rain and snow pushed the state’s reservoirs to 128% of their historical average.