Many people are left to wonder just how long this weather will stick around.

With winter just around the corner, can we expect what we saw last year? Reporter Kate Schell travels to the National Weather Service to find out what they're forecasting for winter.

It's no suprise that winters in North Dakota are cold, but what is suprising was just how cold and how snowy last winter was

(John Paul Martin/National Weather Service, Meteorolgist) "It was the second snowiest winter on record in the Bismarck Mandan area and also temperatures of 44 below zero, the second coldest temperature every recorded in North Dakota." But, meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Bismarck say...this winter should be pretty different. (John Paul Martin/National Weather Service, Meteorolgist) " The National Weather Service forecast for the winter is for temperatures to be a little bit above normal and snowfall to be about normal." Normal snowfall is about 50 inches...which is half of what we saw last winter

Meterologist expect between 45 and 55 inches of snow to fall this year

So, why the big difference? (John Paul Martin/National Weather Service, Meteorolgist) "Last year we had whats called an effect from La Nina this year we are looking at an affect from El Nino. But, typically when people hear El Nino its going to be a very mild winter and very dry, but we think at the NWS office in Bismarck we think that the El Nino will be diminished a little bit so that we will end up a little bit above normal on temperature, but not really very mild and we will end up about normal on precipitation instead of wetter." They expect this warmer and not as wet winter...to stick around a while longer

(John Paul Martin/National Weather Service, Meteorolgist) "It really looks like the months of December and January are going to be on the milder side. Once we get maybe halfway through February and into March it looks like things are going to cool down and I am concerned at this point the spring, March, April and maybe even a little into May could be a little cooler and wetter than normal so it might be a late season getting into the fields." Meterologist stress that this forecast is the big picture outlook. There will be day to day variations in temperature and precipitation just like every winter in North Dakota

With KX News, Im Kate Schell

John Paul Martin says the National Weather Service expects the potential for flooding in Western North Dakota to be less than it was last year.

He expects a bigger flood concern for the Eastern part of state because of the wet October. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list