National Weather Service’s 2017-2018 winter temperature outlook. Orange and blue areas illustrate where warmer- and cooler- than normal conditions are favored. The numbers indicate the percent likelihood of being cooler or warmer than normal. Because there are three categories, cooler-than-normal, equal chances, and warmer-than-normal, and each has a 33 percent chance of occurring as a baseline, when percentages are above that, it indicates a lean in the cooler or warmer direction.

If you’re itching for outbreaks of the polar vortex and waist-deep snow, the upcoming winter may not be your cup of tea. And, thanks to climate change, the odds of brutally cold winters are decaying.

For the third time in as many years, the nation — on balance — should expect warmer-than-normal temperatures, according to the National Weather Service, which released its winter outlook on Thursday.

The Weather Service favors…