This cold snap set a few records around Iowa, including 17 below in Cedar Rapids this morning, though State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says we’ve been spoiled by several recent mild winters. The Iowa weather expert says that’s changed, in a big way. Overall, November averaged 4 degrees warmer than normal, giving Iowans a break on heating costs.

But December’s not only off to a cold start, the weatherman says the outlook calls for temps at or below normal for the first half of the month at least. With snowcover on the ground everywhere in Iowa, it helps hold down the temps. Hillaker says December may well average out colder than normal, an even bigger contrast since in several recent years we’ve enjoyed milder than average weather this month.