Spring-like early December sets temperature records around Manitoba

People were swinging golf clubs rather than pushing snow shovels as temperatures soaredin southern Manitoba on Wednesday.

Seven new warm records were set,withMcCreary, near Riding Mountain National Park, taking top spotat 11.2 C. That broke the old record of 9.3 C, set in 2015.

Other records were:

• Deerwood at 10.1 C. Old record was 9.6 C in 2016.
• Carberry at 9.4 C. Oldrecord was 9 C in 2015.
• Emerson at 8.9 C. Old record was 7.1 C in 2015.
• Steinbach at7.8 C. Old record was 5.5 C in 2015.
• Fisher Branch at 7.2 C. Old record was 4.1 C in 1999.
• Gimliat6 C. Oldrecord was 3.3 C in 1944.

Although Mordenreached10.3 C, to be the second-warmest spot in the province, it was not a record but it was oh, so close. The temperature there hit 10.6 C in 2015.

In Winnipeg,it was 6.4 C on Wednesday, nice enough for somegolf driving ranges to reopen but short of a record. That was set back in 1939, when the city warmed up to 11.7 C.

Winnipeg could, however, set a record on Thursday. The forecast is calling for a high of 6 C, which would edge the old record of5 C, which was also set in 1939.

It's a drastic change from exactly one year ago, when Winnipeggersbraced againsta high of18 C and an overnight low that plummeted to32 C.

Even in the polar bear land of Churchill, where normal temperatures for this time of year are a high of 17 C and overnight low of 25 C, the average high in Decemberhas been8 C and peaked at 1.9 C on Wednesday, according to Environment Canada.

It won't get quite that cool over the next few days, but a change is coming across the entire province.

Southern Manitoba will likely see snow and temperatures fall throughout Friday as a cold front moves through. With winds gusting to 60 km/h, highways could get icyand the fresh snow being blown around could make for poor visibility, CBC meteorologist John Sauder says.

Environment Canada is calling for highs over the next few days ranging from3 C to12 C in Winnipeg. The normal for this time of yearis a daytime high of9 C.

"Looking at the long-range temps,I don't think the snow that falls on Friday will melt anytime soon. It may be here to stay," Sauder said in his weather blog.

And up in Churchill, the highs through the weekend and into next week are expected to be around 17 C to21 C.

With temperatures well above par, Winnipeggers enjoy rare treat of December golf

10 months ago

Duration 1:56

CBC's Emily Brass reports from Shooters Family Golf Centre in Winnipeg, where unseasonably warm temperatures had golfers out swinging the sticks in early December.