Federal scientists on Thursday announced that La Niña — the phenomenon where Pacific Ocean waters off South America are cooler than normal — has officially begun and is likely to continue into winter. From social media to coffee shops and even some TV weather reports, a common claim is that La Niña means a dry winter is coming for California, and in years when the opposite occurs, El Niño, a wet winter is on the way. But don’t fret just yet about water shortages, brown lawns, and wildfires. The reality, history shows, is that a lot depends on where you live.

Other La Niña news:

• SFGate: It’s officially La Niña. Here’s what California can expect.
• San Francisco Chronicle: La Niña has returned. Here’s what it means for California weather
• The Arizona Republic (Phoenix): La Niña is back. What does that mean for Arizona’s winter?
• Bloomberg: La Niña emerges raising drought risks for California and Brazil
• POWDER Magazine: La Niña is back, but not for long