(NEXSTAR) – Dreaming of a White Christmas? For most, it’ll be just a dream as national forecasters predict an unseasonably warm start to winter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released its predictions for the next three months, showing most of the country is in for above-average temperatures through the end of the year.

This includes Syracuse and Central New York.

A large swath of the country, seen on the map below, is shaded in orange, indicating a higher probability of above-average temperatures between November and January. The areas most likely to be unseasonably warm are New England and the Pacific Northwest, which is consistent with the El Niño pattern we’re expecting.

The precipitation outlook diminishes hopes of early winter snow even further. Northern states like Michigan and Montana, where snow on Christmas isn’t unheard of, are leaning toward having less precipitation than usual, according to NOAA’s updated outlook.

Meanwhile, down south, it’s looking like a wet winter for the Gulf, Texas, and the Southeast, even after hurricane season officially ends on Nov. 30.

These outlooks are over a three-month period and don’t take into account week-to-week changes in the weather

But before you take these maps as a promise, remember the outlook is meant to indicate probabilities for temperatures and precipitation over a three-month period. It can’t be used to predict the weather on any specific day this winter. You’ll need to wait until we get closer and check the Storm Team forecast to see what’s up for our area.

As we get closer to winter, the impacts of El Niño are becoming clearer. La Niña and El Niño both tend to reach their peak in the winter.

During an El Niño winter, the southern third to half of the United States, including California, tends to get more precipitation. (Exactly where that dividing line falls varies from year to year.) Meanwhile, the Pacific Northwest and parts of the Ohio Valley tend to be dry and warm.

Hawaii also often sees below-average rain during an El Niño fall, winter, and spring season.

NOAA predicts a 75% to 85% chance that we see a “strong” El Niño through the winter season. There’s a 30% chance it ends up being one of the strongest ever recorded.