Upper U.S. could face brutal winter

STATE COLLEGE, Pa., Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Forecasters say the La Nina weather phenomenon will largely figure in another brutally cold and snowy winter for much of the United States.

La Ninas, when sea surface temperatures across the equatorial central and eastern Pacific are below normal, often produce unpredictable weather patterns across the Midwest and Northeast during winter due to the influence they have on the jet stream, Accuweather.com reported Wednesday.

The position of this winter's jet stream because of La Nina will tend to drive storms through the Midwest and Great Lakes region, forecasters said.

"The brunt of the winter season, especially when dealing with cold, will be over the north-central U.S.," Accuweather long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

Chicago, which experienced blizzard conditions last year, could be one of the hardest-hit cities in terms of both snow and cold in the winter ahead, Accuweather said.

Bitterly cold blasts of arctic air with snowfalls above normal are expected to invade the northern Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes December through January, Pastelok said.

"A couple of heavy hitters are possible [during this time]," he said of expected snowstorms.