Cold, snowy start to winter could be an appetizer of what's to come

Threat level: After two mild winters, the National Weather Service's long-range forecast through February says it's more likely that it will be colder and snowier than normal across the entire state.

The bottom line: It's a cold slap in the face because meteorological fall, which ended Sunday, was tied for the fourth warmest on record at MSP, according to Fox 9's Cody Matz.

• Yes, but: It's still too early to know if Bing Crosby's dreams will come true. Meteorologist Paul Douglas said upper-30s could be back in the middle of the month.