NO MORE SEESAW; GET READY FOR WINTER

As December's temperatures have seesawed from the 60s to below-zero, it looks like winter is definitely on the way.

The National Weather Service was calling Monday for falling temperatures and rain possibly turning into snow starting this afternoon or tonight.

Only minor accumulation, if any, was expected.

The first major winter storm was moving into the state Monday, according to the National Weather Service, bringing sleet, snow and freezing rain.

"It'll be later (today) before any of that comes about for your area," said Bill Bryant, a technologist for the National Weather Service in St. Louis.

The cold front moved in from the northwest, and temperatures were expected to drop throughout the day today, with lows dipping into the 30s.

Actually, precipitation is welcome at the end of what has been a dry year, said Don Semancik of the Missouri Weather Coop.

"There hasn't been much in the way of flooding this year because it's been so dry. All the water's been soaking into the ground instead of running off," Semancik said. "We really do need the rain. It's been awfully dry this year."

According to figures from the weather coop, the first significant precipitation came Friday, Dec. 8, when 3.9 inches of snow and 0.43 inches of rain were recorded. The next significant occurrence came a week later, also a Friday, when 1.15 inches of rain were recorded. On Sunday, another 0.75 inch fell, and as of noon Monday 0.73 inch of rain had been recorded, most from midnight to 6 a.m.

Total precipitation for the month has been 6.77 inches through noon Monday. That's positively soggy compared to December 1994, when a scant 1.74 inches of precipitation were recorded.

Temperatures have ranged from a high of 66 on Dec. 14 to a low of minus 2 on Dec. 10.

Merchants, mindful of last-minute Christmas shoppers, are keeping an eye on the forecast.

"I don't think it'll have much of an effect at all," said Paul Hawkins, store manager of Sears at the Town Plaza. "When it gets down to the last minute like this, if folks are needing to get their Christmas shopping done they're going to get out."

Bad weather might keep people away, said Anna Linam, assistant manager of the Dollar General store on Spanish Street in downtown Cape Girardeau.

"It's very possible it could," Linam said. "But when we got that snow the other day, we did pretty good. And there's not too many more days of shopping left."

"A little touch (of snow) on the grass would be nice, just as long as we don't get any ice," said Harry Rediger, manager of JCPenney at the West Park Mall. "We're hoping it kind of slides by us."

Retailers are in high gear this week as consumers buckle down and complete their Christmas shopping lists, Rediger said.

"We're in Christmas week and every day is a huge Saturday," he said. "We have no off days. Consumers the last few years have been shopping closer to the season every season, and Christmas is no exception. This past weekend was excellent and today's been excellent. We're encouraged by that. But late in the week, if you miss even one day you can't make it up."