I think it was more the Greenland Block that caused the rough weather, than the La NIna. Actually, I think eastern states are warmer in La Nina years. I hope this winter is a mild one. I think the last winter that was mild was maybe in 2008 or so. Its been a while!
-Alex

Our winter was not "bad" here per se. Just LONG. It was not really 'bitter' cold, just average cold, but it lasted and lasted and lasted and lasted well into April. When I say cold, I mean cold in terms of being somewhat below average, but nothing 'bitter'. Temps in the 30s when they should have been 40s, and 40s when they should have been 50s/60s. We also only got about 12" of snow the whole winter, which is about 5" below average. NOTHING like 2010 when we got 77" the whole winter and the ground was solid white for months on end from Dec thru March.

The Woolly Bears I have seen this year, look alot like those I saw in fall of 2009. VERY narrow orange stripe, and mostly black. The only difference is that in 2009 I saw many that had ZERO orange on them at all. So, if you go by the Woolly Bears, we are in for alot of snow this year. Probably much more than normal. =o) I know many do not believe in that stuff, but they have often been right. They were dead on for the 2009/10 winter, and were right for last winter too. It will be interesting to see if they are once again right.

I don't want a winter like the last one or the one before, I can no longer do it, I'm like a coconut palm trying to survive in trachy/needle-country. I hope the third time is the charm, I think we deserve an easy one.

As cold as it was to me, winter 2010-2011 was actually a 7b winter (because of ONE morning low) & winter 2009-2010 was a degree shy of an 8b winter. Both had tremendous snowfall, over twice the average of 20 inches yet not nearly as severe as what D.C./Baltimore saw, I'm so grateful that we didn't get that bad despite being in the same region. This year the snow stayed on the ground so long (like 1-2 moderate/major storms a week), I think that's the reason a lot of the grass stayed green through the winter.

I didn't think it was possible but 2011 is already a bit crazier weather-wise than 2010 was, a hurricane/tropical storm, a tornado, and an earthquake all in one week alone. I wonder what can possibly be next, almost everything has been done already in the past year and a half.

I think a strong La Niña means a milder winter. Idk I just hope this one is better (warmer) than the last two.

La Ninas don't seem to be consistently linked to any particular, predictable weather patterns for the Northeast. For the South, they say DRIER than normal though. The last few Winters have really been WEIRD. Two Winters ago, it was mild here while Florida froze, last winter was just wickedly stormy with persistent cold.--I think we can throw regular, predictable seasonal expectations out the window regardless if it's a boy or a girl (nino vs. nina).