A strong El Nino pattern likely will bring a warmer than average winter with less snowfall in Iowa, if history repeats itself.

Although the state will see typical cold snaps and winter storms, experts predict a better than average chance that El Nino conditions will drive temperatures higher across the north central U.S. and keep precipitation further to the south.

El Nino is characterized by warm waters in the Pacific Ocean pushing east toward the coast of North America and a shift in the jet stream southward, bringing warmer weather to the northern U.S. and Canada and wet weather across the southern...