Burl Ives sang the words "I don't know if there'll be snow, but have a cup of cheer"... you're going to need the cup of cheer, because most of the country won’t wake up to a winter wonderland next Monday.

The recent mild pattern has been quite persistent and will stay that way right through the holiday. Here’s what temperatures compared to average look like through Monday.

The relative warmth is great news for travelers hoping snow and ice won’t snarl their pre-holiday trip. But for those who like seeing a white Christmas, it’s a disappointment. Here’s where one of our reliable computer models predicts at least an inch of snow will be on the ground Christmas morning (which is the definition of a white Christmas).

Snow will definitely be in short supply this year. For example, those who average three out of four Christmases being white... well, this year is that one-out-of-four.

Travel weather next week likely involves a couple of weather systems in the central and eastern U.S. that'll produce both rain and snow. Keep up with your local forecast to see what conditions may be like in your area–rain, snow or shine.

Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.