DeKALB | The coldest weather has already passed, said NIU staff meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste .

Students, who returned to campus Monday, were met by a snowy campus and cold winds. Tuesday will mark a cold system coming through, Sebenste said.

He said the cold air should drop nighttime temperatures below zero.

There is some good news for those who are not too fond of winter: Sebenste said the coldest week of the year, on average, has passed so the average temperature should start rising.

There may be a few more inches of snow in DeKalb’s future, and the wind will continue to blow through. Systems on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday may produce enough snow to shovel, or at least brush off the windshield, Sebenste said.

Ericka Edelman, senior English and secondary education major, said the weather affects her day.

“The winter blues makes me lazy and sleepy,” Edelman said. “I workout or go tanning to get myself back to normal.”

Senior public health major Ola Adekoya said he had similar feelings.

“The cold and snow changes your whole day, you have to get up earlier, clean your car and drive much slower.” Adekoya said.

Adekoya remained in DeKalb over winter break. He said the weather was really cold with a lot of snow except on New Year’s Eve when the temperature rose to what felt like forty degrees.

Freshman nursing major Laura Perinar said she felt entirely different and that winter is her favorite season.

“I just dress warm and drive carefully,” Perinar said.