Forecasters say the worst of what shapes up as a brutal U.S. winter will target the Midwest and its major cities with snow and cold.

Large Midwestern cities such as Chicago and Minneapolis will bear the brunt of the extreme conditions, AccuWeather.com reported Thursday.

Other parts of the country will not escape winter's wrath, as above-normal snowfall is forecast for the interior Northeast and northern New England.

A weak to moderate La Nina is the main factor in the 2011-2012 Winter Forecast, with typical La Nina winter conditions expected, AccuWeather said.

La Nina winters feature a stronger Northern jet stream that tends to cause storms to track across the northern tier, spelling harsh winters from the Northern Plains to the Ohio Valley, meteorologist Heather Buchman said.

Snowfall will be well above normal for cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland and possibly Pittsburgh, forecasters said.