With all deference to Winston Churchill, the weather is also a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. We all consume weather differently, based on interests, commutes and hometowns. Because all weather, like politics, is local.

January snow has come in dribs and drabs, with only 3.4 inches at MSP — 4.2 inches below normal, to date. Duluth shows a 10-inch snowfall deficit this month.

Winter snowfall is running less than normal for much of Minnesota, but over 4 inches above average in the metro, largely due to record snows back in October. Then came 60s and 70s in November. What a weird winter season.

After a brief thaw, temperatures cool down to or below average this week and next. Friday will feel like January with single-digit highs, but that's about as polar as it gets anytime soon. Snow arrives Saturday, and I'm thinking something in the range of 1-3 or 2-4 inches. A storm next Monday may pass to our south and east. NOAA's GFS model suggests another thaw in late January and early February.