Cold start, but milder end?

Many of us would like to forget the 2013/2014 winter season.  The record breaking cold and snow was just too much for some to handle, especially when temperatures fell below average in the beginning of winter and stayed that way straight through spring. 

The other day, a viewer said they couldn't remember the last time the monthly temperature was above average and looking back, it has been a while.  Beginning in January and lasting through April, the monthly temperature was below average:  January: -9.5°, February: -13.5°, March: -7.6° & April: -0.9°.  It wasn't until May when it started to warm up, but not by a lot.  June was another 'milder' month, but then we dropped right back down during the month of July.  This month, climatologically, is supposed to be the hottest month of the year.  August was slightly above, but then temperatures dipped right back down in September.  After wrapping up the 6th coldest November on record, it may have you wondering how the end of the month will shape up.  Looking out ahead to the week before Christmas shows some promising signs.  Unfortunately, if you're a fan of the cold and snow it doesn't look like we'll see much of that.  Models suggest temperatures will begin to rise above average towards the middle of next week and stay that way into the following week and weekend.  In fact, towards next weekend there could even be some 50's popping back up across the Midwest.