Weather experts weigh in on what La Niña could bring to California this winter.

With autumn well underway, Californians are eager to know whether it’ll be a wet or dry winter in the Golden State. After two winters marked by robust snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada, could more snow-dumping storms be on the way in coming months?

Meteorologists said they don’t have a crystal ball that can forecast the weather several months out. A variety of factors could impact the upcoming winter’s outcome, from the development of a La Niña weather pattern to an area of warm water in the Pacific Ocean, and nobody can predict how much influence each will have if it does develop.

“There are a lot of variables at play here,” said Brian Garcia, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s San Francisco Bay Area office. “Honestly, there are just a lot of unknowns.”

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The seasonal outlook from the weather service’s Climate Prediction Center, which issues long-term forecasts, is indicative of the uncertainty. For the majority of California, including the Bay Area, experts predict there are equal chances of below-average, average or above-average rain and snowfall for December through February. The one outlier is a slight chance for below-normal precipitation in far Southern California. The outlook also predicts Northern and Central California have equal chances of below average, average or above average temperatures, while a portion of Southern California could see above-normal temperatures this winter. Regardless of where temperatures ultimately land, Garcia said there will be some cold snaps in winter.

“People should be prepared for some cold,” he said.

La Niña, which is associated with drier weather conditions, is expected to make an appearance in the coming months,........

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