The worst may be over by the end of the month, at least where the weather is concerned.

By Jan. 31, 1991’s coldest temperatures will be behind us, said NIU Meteorologist Allen Staver.

The average temperature for northern Illinois will be 18 degrees Fahrenheit this month, with eight days of below zero readings, Staver said.

While this month’s average is already colder than January 1990, when the average was 31 degrees, it is warmer than January 1982’s nippy average temperature of 9 degrees, he said.

The average high and low temperatures for January are 27 F and 10 F.

Most January precipitation in northern Illinois falls as snow, Staver said, usually totalling about 9 inches, although in January 1967, 30 inches of the white stuff blanketed the area.

While snow is a by-product of cold temperatures, it also contributes to the cold, Staver said.

Snow reflects the sun’s rays during the day, while at night, heat also radiates from the earth’s surface, he said.

“Snow is very good at losing heat to space,” Staver said.