October 20, 2011
Government forecasters say this winter looks to be cold and wet across the northern tier of states, and the drought will worsen in the South, where conditions are expected to be warmer and drier than usual.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that
like last winter, the Pacific Ocean cooling known as La Nina is
affecting the weather.
Mike Halpert, who's deputy director of the agency's Climate
Prediction Center, says snowfall is likely to top the usual amounts
from the Northwest to the Great Lakes and the Ohio and Tennessee
river valleys.
He says dry conditions could extend from Southern California
east across drought-stricken Texas and Oklahoma and along the Gulf
Coast into Florida and possibly north to Virginia.
