IRON MOUNTAIN — Precipitation is in the forecast as AccuWeather predicts mixed rain and snow late tonight with a chance of flurries into Tuesday evening.

Tuesday’s predicted high temperature in the Iron Mountain area is 38 degrees.

The snow may not be heavy, but there is a chance for icy spots. Daytime temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s and teens going into the weekend.

The National Weather Service sees a colder trend later this month, while the temperature outlook through March is neutral. The forecast favors above-average precipitation into spring.

“Above-normal precipitation is likely, with the probability exceeding 50% in some areas … from the central Mississippi Valley across the Ohio Valley into the Great Lakes region and northwestern New York,” NWS forecaster Dan Collins said.

The forecast continues to be influenced by La Nina, a climate pattern characterized by cooler-than-normal ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It sometimes brings cooler and wetter winters to the northern Midwest, although the Climate Prediction Center sees a likely transition to neutral before spring.

Liquid-equivalent precipitation at the Iron Mountain-Kingsford Wastewater Treatment Plant in December measured 1.27 inches, which was about a half-inch below normal. The snowfall total for the month was 11.8 inches — about an inch below the norm.

The U.S. Drought Monitor shows abnormally dry conditions in southern Iron and Dickinson counties and moderate drought in much of Menominee and Delta counties. There are only a few areas of concern over the rest of the Upper Peninsula.

Moderate drought persists in much of northern Wisconsin, along with severe drought in several counties, including southern Forest and most of Marinette.

Temperatures in December at Iron Mountain-Kingsford averaged 18.7 degrees, which was 2.2 degrees below average. The lowest reading was minus 7, reported on Dec. 8, 13 and 14.

The highest temperature was 44 degrees on Dec. 23, reflective of what forecasters had said would be an erratic winter pattern.

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Jim Anderson can be reached at 906-774-3500, ext. 85226, or janderson@ironmountaindailynews.com.