2011′s Unprecedented Rains and Wet-Dry Extremes

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-05/u-s-seasonal-drought-outlook-for-jan-5-to-march-2012-text-.html

U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook for Jan. 5 to March 2012 (Text)
By Mike Sebany - Jan 5, 2012

Following is the text of the U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook as released by the National Weather Service in Camp Springs, Maryland:

Latest Seasonal Assessment - The drought outlook for January 5 - March 31, 2012 was based upon climate anomalies associated with La Nina, short to medium range forecasts, climatology, and initial conditions. Persistence or development can be expected across much of the Southeast with the highest forecast confidence in Florida. Frequent periods of precipitation improved drought conditions across the southern Plains during the past two months. However, a return of dry weather and the ongoing La Nina favor persistence across most of southern Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Despite the early winter snowfall in Arizona and New Mexico, La Nina elevates the odds for drought persistence across the Southwest. A lack of early winter precipitation resulted in moderate drought development and expansion of abnormal dryness across southern Oregon, California, and Nevada. Antecedent dryness coupled with no wet signal among precipitation tools favor persistence across northern California and northwest Nevada, while La Nina favors development across southern California. Some improvement is forecast in southern Oregon where La Nina tends to bring heavier precipitation amounts. A relatively dry winter climatology elevates the chances for persistence across the western Corn Belt and upper Mississippi Valley. Drought improvement is forecast for Hawaii which is consistent with a La Nina winter.

SOURCE: National Weather Service