FACTBOX-U.S. winter weather forecasts

NEW YORK Oct 22 (Reuters) - Government and private weather forecasters expect the winter in the United States to be warmer than normal in most parts of the country including the Northeast, home to the world's largest heating-oil market.

Forecasters say the La Nina phenomenon -- a cooling of ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean -- is the main factor behind the expected warmth.

The following is a description of winter weather forecasts released by government and private weather forecasters: NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)

-Temperatures to exceed five-year average in all parts of the United States, with the exception of the Pacific Northwest.

-Lower than normal precipitation. PLANALYTICS

-Warmer-than-normal temperatures in the energy-consuming Eastern part of the United States. ACCUWEATHER

-Near-normal temperatures in Eastern United States from November to mid-December then above normal from late December through February.

-Colder Arctic than last winter. Colder than normal temperatures in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada. WSI CORP (November through January forecast)

-Warmer than normal in most of the United States.

-Mild November in Northeast but below normal in December.