Fall, 2011 weather forecast

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center's newest forecast, published on October 6, 2011, calls for a strengthening La Niña during the fall and winter of 2011–2012. This should translate into:

- above average air temperatures across the mid section of the U.S. - above average rain across the Pacific Northwest - drier than average conditions across the southern tier of the country

What causes a La Niña? Cooler than normal ocean surface temperatures in the Central and East Central equatorial Paciic…