So far this winter, Central Missouri has had some very cold days, but little snow or other wintry precipitation.
Although this week may prove to be extremely cold, forecasters believe a mild to weak El Niño has helped keep us from having as harsh a winter as we saw last year and will continue to do so throughout the rest of the season.
This atmospheric phenomenon occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator are warmer than normal.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service in St. Louis, where the Central Missouri weather forecasts originate, utilized climatological data dating back to 1950 of previous El Niño years.
They found the trends during those years had St. Louis and Columbia winters at near or above normal temperatures.
Records at St. Louis indicate El Niño winters are drier and less snowy, but the statistics from Columbia show a more even spread.
Weather service meteorologist added snow forecasts are dependent upon the strength and track of winter storms, which are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.
If you're looking for alternative ways to predict the weather you might want to study the designs found inside persimmon seeds.
Officials with the University of Missouri Extension Office said, according to Ozarks folklore, a spoon shape on the seed indicates above average snowfall, a knife shape signals colder than normal temperatures and a fork shape means warmer than average temperatures.
In 2014, researchers found 18 percent of the seeds had a knife shape; 31 percent had a fork shape and 51 percent had a spoon shape. Those results suggest below average snowfall.
To check the area's immediate forecast and radar, see our weather page.