This winter ranks in the top ten snowiest winters in the DeKalb/Sycamore area.

Snowfall began Monday night and continued through Tuesday afternoon, Gilbert Sebenste, NIU staff meteorologist, said.

According to the Midwest Regional Climate Center in Champaign, records for the snowiest winter date back as early as 1888 and as recently as 1997. The center records snowfall, temperatures and rainfalls in the Midwest.

Sebenste said DeKalb has crossed the 50-inch mark of snow for this season, ranking it No. 10 in the snowiest winters in the area’s history.

“If another three-quarters of an inch of snow falls, then we will be ranked at eight,” he said.

Sebenste advises students to take the time to enjoy the snow.

“We can’t really do anything about it, so go outside and have a snowball fight or build a snowman,” Sebenste said.

The amount of snowfall is appropriate for this time of year since it is winter, Sebenste said

“We’ve been very fortunate we have been having very mild winters [in recent years],” he said.