Wet and mild: Warm winter predicted for much of the U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. meteorologists say winter is looking wet and especially mild for much of the country, thanks to a weak El Nino brewing.

The National Weather Service forecasts a warmer than normal winter for the northern and western three-quarters of the nation.

Forecaster Mike Halpert said Thursday no place is expected to get a colder than normal winter.

The Southeast, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic can go any which way.

Halpert says the southern one-third of the United States and much of the East Coast, especially northern Florida and southern Georgia, could be hunkering down for a wetter than normal December through January.

The weather service’s forecast doesn’t look at snow likelihood.