La Nina 2020-21 appears projected to be almost as strong as the 2007-08 episode ranking the event 3rd strongest of this century so far. The Climate Impact Company analog projection is based on 3 cold ENSO events from the past 25 years and the consensus projects peak intensity in January, weakening La Nina next spring, neutral ENSO next summer and possible return to weak La Nina DEC/JAN/FEB 2021-22.

Leading drought areas across the globe as of November 1 is the Western U.S. which inspired a record-setting fire season, one of the driest/drought periods on record for Paraguay and a harsh drought across Southwest Russia and the Black Sea region.

In October 2020 the Rutgers University Snow Laboratory snow cover analysis reveals 10.26 million square kilometers across North America which is (by far) the highest amount for the month observed in the 1970-2020 climatology.

-PNA patterns represent a persistent cold upper trough over Southwest Canada and/or the Western U.S. Frequently, -PNA patterns are compensated for by an upper ridge across the East U.S. associated with positive North Atlantic oscillation (+NAO). The described pattern is fully developed in the 6-10 day period and likely to linger through the 11-15 day timeframe.