This winter will not be an El Nino, nor a La Nina weather pattern.  That's because ocean temperatures in the tropics will be near normal.  Steve Pierce, President of the Oregon Chapter of the American Meteorological Society explains that there is a greater chance of more snow in lower elevations, because water temperatures in the tropics are at normal.  The winters of 2003 and 2008 were both neutral years and both years had significant snow and ice events.