December starts chilly before turning mild

ROCKFORD (WREX) -- The new month gives us another taste of winter weather as it starts up. We may not have the brisk weather for too long, as "milder" weather moves back in.

Cold Tuesday:

The weather remains brisk Tuesday, as temperatures struggle to rise above freezing for a second day in a row. Conditions warm into the upper 30's, however, so the weather gets slightly warmer. More sunshine helps. We'll see a bright sunny sky throughout the day.

A lighter breeze sets up as well. This helps the wind chills a little. During the morning, wind chills approach the single digits due to the colder morning air. By the afternoon they get back into the 20's.

While weather in the upper 30's sounds chilly, December starts out near average with this kind of weather. December 1st's average high is 39 degrees. November stayed very mild for most of the month, so we aren't used to the typically chilly conditions yet.

Long mild stretch:

The rest of the week gets away from the colder air, as a long mild stretch of weather sets up. This is mild by December's standards, remember. We won't see the 50's or 60's, but we do get the 40's for a while.

Wednesday warms back into the middle 40's, and we alternate between the low 40's and the middle 40's from there. With the exception of next Monday, the weather stays in the 40's over the next 10 days. In general, the weather could stay mild like this through the middle of December.

We also see a long stretch of sunshine and dry weather. The next 10 days have no chances for rain or snow, so get used to the bright sunny weather for a while. This kind of weather could also extend into the middle of the new month.