The days of comfortable, above normal temperatures are numbered, a meteorologist says.

Beginning this week, January temperatures may be below average for the state, said Harlyn Wetzel, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Bismarck office.

Wetzel said to expect highs around 30 degrees until Thursday, when the temperatures will drop to the single digits. Across the state, the highs are expected to be in the single digits, with lows dropping to 5 to 15 degrees below zero.

"Friday, some areas in the northwest corner of the state won't get above zero,"he said. "On Saturday, much of the north won't get above zero."

This arctic air comes on the heels of an abnormally warm December, with 22 days of the month hitting highs above 30 degrees, according to National Weather Service data. Two days in December hit an easy 51 degrees, and 13 days had highs of 40 degrees or more.

In fact, almost all of the snowy precipitation accumulated at the end of the month. Of the 11.8 inches of snow that dropped inDecember, all but 1.6 inches fell on Dec. 30. Even after that 10.2-inch blanket of snow, the white gave way to runny, watery messes as last week's temperatures once again climbed into the 30s and 40s.

But that weather will be no more come Friday, Wetzel said.

"This is really our coldest time of the year,"he said, referring to January.

He said average highs for the month of January are in the 20s, and lows in the single digits or slightly below zero.

"This week is slightly below average for January,"he said.

Don't expect a lot of snow with the dipping temperatures, though. The arctic front will just bring in some sporadic flurries, but no storms or heavy precipitation, Wetzel said.

"We'll see the occasional flurry or something, but no significant snowfalls,"he said.

High winds are also expected today, with gusts getting up to 55 to 60 miles an hour, Wetzel said.

By the weekend, Wetzel said temperatures may get back to average, with highs in the north getting back above zero.

(Reach reporter Crystal Reid at 250-8261 or at crystal.reid@;bismarcktribune.com.)