Here are five of the extreme patterns meteorologists watch for in computer model guidance to alert that winter weather is about to shift into higher gear. 1.

El Nino weather pattern and storm track (NOAA) One in three chance of La Niña this winter Odds of 37% means there’s roughly a 1 in 3 chance of our second La Niña winter in a row.

The good news is that this pattern is not inevitable—you have a lot more control over your mood and your food than you realize, even in the dead of winter. If you understand what drives winter ...