Drought, fire risk to stay high during third La Niña winter

FILE - Lake Michigan is covered with snow and ice in Chicago, Jan. 17, 2022. La Niña, a weather pattern characterized by cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, is returning for a rare third winter, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. That means December, January and February are likely to bring drier than average conditions across the southern states and wetter than average weather for areas including the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)