I don't see how you can reach any such conclusions without looking at the entire Northern Hemisphere, if not the entire globe. Even then, your 2nd point is just your opinion/speculation.
Ssta and "and the associated background thermodynamic conditions." Do you know exactly what they are this year and exactly how they compare to 15/16 because it doesn't state the relative level of impact of Ssta and those "...associated background thermodynamic conditions?"
Yep. Cfs OLR prog lock step with MJO prog. Best part for Mid Atlantic and further south I believe, it ends up just east of the dateline. May be good for NE, but not certain about that.
Not that I feel at all comfortable defending the Cfs, but once it lost the +2 handle back in late August or early September, unlike all other guidance, it's done best. Can it cr@p the bed now? Sure, but the next warming isn't like the last one.
There's nothing definite in weather. Essentially everyone was calling for a warm December, including the showman Webb. Now look at his about face. Lack humility in weather forecasting, be ready to be humiliated.
If the weak PV forecasts are correct, the "classic" Niño response you are referring to will have its hands tied around its back. And with the Eps, Gefs, Geps, and Cfs all supporting the weak PV, it looks unlikely imho.
Now I'm not sure if it's an apples to apples Cfs comparison to the weathermodels site posted by stadiumwave, but to my eyes the latest Cfs runs off the Tropical Tidbits site are showing January and February 10mb maps with a weaker PV than December. All 3 months are below.