Maybe it’s just me at my older age, but December has felt a little chillier and wetter than past years.

It’s even felt that way for my friend Kyle Elliott, a meteorologist at Millersville University. He has become a sort-of go-to guy for me when it comes to the weather (along with farmer Eric Finkenbinder at ABC27 News).

Elliott agrees, it has been cold as of late. But has it been wetter? And wet enough to put a big dent into the drought? Not quite.

"It's a misnomer. The forecast is very much on track. We're actually below normal still in December for rainfall through the first 18 days of the month, and the U.S. Drought Monitor still has us in severe drought, so it's just as bad as it was in November," he told me during a phone call last week.

Official data show it’s been colder than normal in some spots. Elliott tracks precipitation and temperature every day on campus. Thus far, temperatures are averaging a half-degree above normal for December where he’s at, but some locations in Lancaster County, Pa., are running 1 to 2 degrees below normal.

“That's kind of on par for the course, too,” he says. “The December analogs did have temperatures near normal in this month."

But recent rains have only made a small dent in the drought. Look at these two U.S. Drought Monitor maps, one from early November and one released Dec. 19, for comparison. The good news is that “exceptional drought,” the worst drought classification, has dissipated. The bad news is that much of the region is still in “moderate” to “severe” drought, with some pockets of “extreme” drought lingering on.

"Meteorological fall, which runs from Sept. 1 to Nov. 30, concluded as the fourth driest on record in Lancaster County. Only 4.03 inches of rain fell at Millersville during the three-month period compared to the average of 10.09 inches … just a mere 40% of normal,” Elliott says.

So, what does this mean for the rest of winter? Elliott stands by his forecast for below-average snowfall and above-average temperatures. (Sorry if you’re a skier.)

The La Niña that’s been talked about is still expected to form, albeit in a weak state, he says. Typically, La Niña results in cold, snowy conditions to the north and west of the region, and warm, dry conditions here, and to the south and east — mainly because the jet stream takes a dive through the central U.S.

That usually spells good news for farmers in Michigan and Ohio, who tend to benefit from storms shifting in their direction, but bad news for mid-Atlantic and Northeast farmers who miss out.

The National Weather Service still predicts above-average temperatures for most of the region through February and “equal chances” of above- or below-normal precipitation, except for Ohio and Michigan, which are forecast to get above-normal precipitation.

“It will be either Enso Neutral or a weak La Niña throughout winter,” Elliott says. “We've been doing that since early fall. But whether or not we're officially in a weak La Niña or what we call cool neutral, I don't really think that it will have many impacts on the winter forecast.”

Why has it been cold? One factor is the North Atlantic Oscillation over Greenland. When the oscillation is positive, the jet stream flows west to east across the northern Atlantic Ocean, leaving cold air locked in the arctic.

When it turns negative — a result of the subpolar low pressure and subtropical high pressures being weaker than normal — the jet stream changes course, allowing more cold air to dip down into the U.S., especially the East Coast. This results in cold shots and better chances for snowfall.

The oscillation went sharply negative in November and early December, Elliott notes, allowing temperatures to fall. But it wasn’t as cold as it felt.

"It did feel cold just based on how warm it was in October and November, but believe it or not, the temperatures during that period were only about 6 to 8 degrees below average. So, it felt colder than it actually was," he says.

Right now, the oscillation is back to positive and will likely remain positive for the near future, meaning better chances of warmer, drier weather.

“Things are really running according to the forecast, at least according to my expectations from a month, month and a half ago. I wouldn't really have any reason to update the winter weather forecast," Elliott says.

Personally, I’m torn on what I want. I like snow, but I can also do without it. I’ll admit, I don’t like shoveling!

ANEMOMETER: A farmer uses an anemometer for measuring wind speed. (PavloBaliukh/Getty Images)

Get these weather tracking essentials 

By the time you read this, you will probably be settling down for Christmas Eve. But if you want to track the weather on your farm, here are three things Kyle Elliott says are must-haves:

1. Rain gauge. “This is probably the top priority,” he says, because it allows you to keep track of precipitation and can help you make crucial decisions, like when to plant or when to apply fertilizer.

Rain gauges run anywhere from $5 to over $100 depending on the model. Do a Google search and you’ll be able to find all types of gauges.

2. Thermometer. It’s also a good idea to get a thermometer, and perhaps multiple ones, for the farm. Again, you can get a basic thermometer for a few dollars or a more advanced thermometer for well over $100. Again, it depends on your needs.

3. Anemometer. These are used to calculate wind speed and direction.

Again, you can get a very basic portable anemometer from a place like Tractor Supply Co. for as low as $40. Or you can spend hundreds of dollars on gadgets with all the bells and whistles.

With these tools, you can set up your own weather monitoring station right on the farm.