I agree. I see the usual warmanistas on the Main Forum are using Ensembles to preach their warm Outlook still but, now calling it a possibility. Also, not wanting to admit they were sold the first Week of the Month would be warm. I like those guys personally and they're smart meteorologically speaking but, as with many have their biases and let that sway them.
Update: Upon further investigation, I see where they're coming from and partially why the , mainly GEFS, is spitting out what it is irr late December. It has a Scandinavian Block setting up. That generally forces a +AO. However, that's being brought on by models interpretation of a reflective SWE and the rebound. Sometimes the Scandinavian blocks reteograde over into the AO Domain and flip it negative.