This year’s trend toward unusual swings between cold and warm weather is likely to continue this December, according to NIU meteorologist Allen Staver.

He said the prediction is based on observations of National Weather Service reports, the Farmers Almanac and weather charts.

“Until mid-December, average temperatures decrease rapidly. After that, the decrease is gradual until winter’s coldest period in late January,” Staver said.

Stavers prediction for this December calls for the first 10 days to be colder than normal with some rain and one snowfall. The 10 days following, he predicts warmer and drier weather. The holiday season will be marked with colder temperatures and more precipitation, Staver said.

The unusual swings of temperature could be attributed to sunspots, which are excessive spots of activity on the sun’s surface, Staver said.

During this winter and next winter, Staver said the sunspots are at a maximum level. He said this also causes more instances of Aurora Borealis, the northern lights.

Staver’s predictions are more closely related to those of the National Weather Service than the Farmers Almanac.

The average DeKalb high temperature in December is 33 degrees with 2 inches of precipitation and more than 8 inches of snow.

Although days become longer after the winter solstice on Dec. 21, Staver said, “we still lose more heat than we gain until the end of January.”