MID-DECEMBER FEELS LIKE APRIL; COLDER WEATHER LIKELY IN STORE FOR NEXT WEEK

The weather certainly doesn't look a lot like Christmas, but it might by next week.

While some days this week offered abnormally high temperatures -- Wednesday's 72 degrees was a record high for Dec. 11 -- weather forecasters expect conditions to become more seasonal. They said Southeast Missouri might see some snow as early as next week.

This week's erratic temperature changes were unusual, said climatologist Dr. Al Robertson. Monday's high was 44, Tuesday's 62, and Wednesday's 72. Thursday's high plummeted to a more-seasonal 48. But they rebounded Friday, climbing back up to near 60.

Robertson explained that the warmest day, Wednesday, was brought on by a jet stream traveling west to east.

The jet stream traveled farther north than normal and brought its tropical air with it, Robertson said. Temperatures dropped Tuesday night when a cool front edged the warm air out, he said.

Robertson said he hopes people enjoyed the weather because by next week the jet stream will have changed to about normal and snow is possible.

Scott Washburn, 20, of Cape Girardeau said he is enjoying the warm weather. He said It is a nice change of pace, and he hasn't had to wear a jacket most days this week.

But he was glad to hear we may have snow for Christmas.

"The only thing good about cold is snow," Washburn said. "Over Christmas holiday, snow adds to the season, but I'm enjoying the warm weather while it's here."

A cool-down should take place in Southeast Missouri over the next couple of days, said Mary Lamm of the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky.

She said to look for rain on Monday and Tuesday with highs in the low 40s and lows in the 20s.

Dr. Brent Voszler, a family physician with Regional Primary Care in Cape Girardeau, said the colder weather will affect people but not for the reasons most people think.

Studies have shown that the changing barometric pressure related to fronts tends to increase arthritic pain, migraine headaches, sinus pain and other ailments, Voszler said.

The colder temperatures do not cause people to catch colds, flus and other infections, he said. The reason these maladies increase during the winter is that people tend to congregate inside.

"The cold really has nothing to do with it," Voszler said. "We're just in the same space sharing infections."