Warm spell is on the way after city shatters cold weather records

THUNDER BAY — After a cold weather spell that saw consecutive days of record-setting low temperatures, a glorious weekend is in sight for northwestern Ontario.

Environment Canada says the long-range forecast calls for considerable sunshine and above-normal temperatures from Friday through Monday.

Temperatures are expected to approach 20 C all four days.

The typical high for this time of year is 16 or 17 C.

Meterologist Peter Kimball said next week could be even better.

Following some rain on Wednesday night, and showers Thursday, Kimball said "the pattern changes completely."

He said Victoria Day weekend will feature "very pleasant temperatures...and next week we could even get into summer-like temperatures briefly."

Kimball said one forecast model shows a warm front reaching Thunder Bay, which could see the thermometer reaching 25 C.

"But I'm not saying it will last long, it could be just one day next week. If the warm front stays farther south, it will be cooler and possibly rainier," he said.

An all-time low temperature for this date was recorded at Thunder Bay Airport on Tuesday morning.

Minus 7.9 C shattered the previous rsecord of minus 5.6 C.

Monday also saw a record-setting low temperature for that date, minus 8.4 C, two degrees colder than the previous mark.

Several other locations in northwestern Ontario broke records over the past two days as well.