The weather today was certainly befitting a Monday. Aside from the warm-up (temperatures in the 40s and 50s), the weather was just miserable. The warm air moving in over an extremely cold ground led to ridiculously foggy conditions throughout the day.

The limited snow on the ground also began to melt. The snowmelt and the lingering puddles and damp pavement from snowmelt will refreeze later tonight.

The winds are really going to get quite gusty and bring in much colder air from the Plains and Great Lakes. Temperatures will plunge 20 to 30 degrees in neighborhoods.

This drastic drop in temperatures is what is most concerning with the forecast. Any standing water or damp surface will quickly freeze over. If sidewalks, driveways, front steps, parking lots, etc. are not salted or brined, dangerous ice will develop.

The month of December ends like it started - cold. The first two days of the month averaged -5 degrees cooler than normal. Tuesday and Dec. 31 will average -5 degrees cooler than normal. The first 17 days of December never saw a seasonable afternoon. Right now, for the month, temperatures have averaged about -5.2 degrees below normal. This looks to be the coldest December in 15 years.

High temperatures for New Year's Eve struggle to get to the freezing mark. The winds will still be breezy, driving in the cold air. Keeping an eye on a quick-moving clipper that could shake out some snow showers for New Year's revelers. Nighttime lows will be in the 20s, and the wind will make it feel much colder, ringing in the new year with a winter chill and some passing snow.