When is the first day of winter? Will it be colder, snowier than normal?

(CBS) – The first day of winter arrives officially on Dec. 21.

While some think of the entire day, technically it lasts only for a brief time, at 3:48 p.m. when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted as far from the sun as possible.  Looked at another way, it means the sun's path across the sky is at its lowest point.

Winter ends on March 20, 2023 at 3:24 p.m.  The first day of "meteorlogical winter' begins on Dec. 1 and ends Feb. 28.  That's the range that forecasters use for compiling statistical data. 

It is also known as the day with the least amount of daylight for a 24-hour period--nine hours and seven minutes in Chicago. After that, we gradually see more daylight until it peaks for the first day of summer in June.

While the position of the sun and Earth are rather precise, the actual type of winter weather to expect is not. 

However, the National Weather Service has some predictions for Chicago, nonetheless.

Will it be colder or warmer than a typical winter?  Well, that's up in the air, as forecasters say there is about a 50-50 chance it could go either way.

What about precipitation?

That forecast leans more toward a wetter than normal season – but not by much. And if it does become wetter than normal, that doesn't mean the Chicago area will have more snow that normal. 

Nationwide, wetter-than-average conditions are favored from the Pacific Northwest east into the Great Lakes, and from the Tennessee River Valley northeast into New England.  

 Drier-than-average conditions are favored across the southern United States.