NOAA releases winter weather outlook

Don't reach for those hand-warmers just yet -- it may be a mild winter in most of the United States this year.

Temperatures are not expected to dip below average anywhere in the country from December to February, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Thursday in its Winter Outlook.

Much of the northern and western parts of the country are set to see warmer-than-normal conditions.

Above-average rainfall is expected for some parts of the country, including Florida and Georgia.

Why the mild weather?

An El Nino is developing, which is when the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean has warmer-than-normal surface water.