It certainly wasn’t a white Christmas, at least in most of Illinois. The days that followed felt more like late-April than late-December. The National Weather Service has been telling us for a few months the start of this winter is going to be mild but expect it to get cold and wet fast come January and beyond.

When asked if we’re seeing a shift in the seasons, Meteorologist Chris Miller says this is simply a cyclical pattern.

According to Miller, data is showing a shift in the cold and snow to later in the winter and also the activity in regards to severe weather. He says these changes are pretty consistent in the last ten to twenty years.

Several areas in Illinois reported record highs for Christmas Day.