NOAA determined this year’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone is approximately 2,116 square miles — the third smallest in the 34-year record of surveys.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has released a forecast that points toward warmer-than-average temperatures for much of the U.S. from December through February.

A mild winter, with above average temperatures, could be in store for much of the United States this winter according to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.