ILLINOIS SURE EXPERIENCED A MIXED BAG OF WEATHER TO KICK OFF WINTER LAST MONTH.
THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE FOR DECEMBER WAS 29 POINT FOUR DEGREES, BUT THAT DOESN’T TELL THE WHOLE STORY SAYS STATE CLIMATOLOGIST TRENT FORD. THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH WAS WARMER THAN NORMAL, BUT THEN AN ARCTIC BLAST SET IN MID-DECEMBER.
FORD SAYS IT’S UNUSUAL TO SEE TEMPERATURES GET THAT COLD IN DECEMBER. HE NOTES THAT LAST MONTH WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE JULY THAT PRECIPITATION WAS ABOVE NORMAL. FAR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS SAW THE MOST, WITH OVER FIVE INCHES.
THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER IS FORECASTING A LATE-BLOOMING LA NINA EVENT, WHICH MEANS A WARMER AND WETTER START TO THE NEW YEAR.
