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This winter has certainly been exceptional in terms of the low temperatures and high amount of precipitation, but it’s also been exceptional in bucking a long-running weather trend. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says this is an “El Nino” year in the Pacific Ocean, which traditionally brings Iowa milder than normal mid-winter conditions. Hillaker says the last time an “El Nino” year failed to bring Iowa a mild winter was in 1978.