The winter of 2011-2012 will be governed by the re-emergence of La Niña that happened this summer. Unfortunately, the Southwest and Southern Plains aren't likely to see any relief from the extreme drought conditions they have experienced this year, with warmer and drier than normal conditions expected. Other areas of the country will see the opposite.
Here are the highlights of the winter weather outlook, from December through February, for different regions of the United States:
