La Nina = cold+ Big Snow

Get ready for a wet, wild winter.

We’re headed into a La Niña year the likes of which haven’t been seen since 1955, according to Washington state climatologist Nick Bond.

“It’s shaping up to be a lively one,” Bond said Thursday, before adding a typical forecaster’s warning.

“There’s really no guarantees. If you think of it like a card game with cold weather as the aces, this year there’s a few more aces in the deck.”

La Niñas occur when the ocean near the equator is cooler than usual.

Bond said temperatures for this time of year are the coldest since 1955, and the pattern could continue as we head into winter. Ocean temperatures affect air circulation, and cool air can lead to more rain and snow and colder temperatures.

While that doesn’t mean we’re guaranteed the worst winter on record, there’s certainly the potential for a bad one, says Environment Canada meteorologist David Jones.