24 warm weather records broken in Manitoba

A warmPacific air mass sweepingacross Western Canada has brought spring-like temperatures and sprouted dozens of new temperature records in Manitoba.

Environment Canada meteorologist Chris Stammers says 24 new records were set on Wednesday, from The Pas in the north to Emersonin the south.

The hottestspot in the province was McCreary, near Riding Mountain National Park,at 12.1 C,breaking a record of 9.4 C,set back in 1993.

Some new records are less than a degree warmer than the old ones, while others are more than doublethe previous mark.

And while the sunshine warmed up Winnipeg to 7.3 at The Forks, it onlyreached 4.7 C at the airport, where the official temperature is marked. That left it just shyof the record of 5 C, setin 1952.

The normal temperaturefor this time of year in the southern half of Manitoba is a high around 12C and an overnight low around21 C.

In addition to McCreary, the following communitiesset new daily highs on Wednesday:

• Altona:10.4 C (old record of 5 Cset in 1952).
• Arnes:8.4 C (old record of 4.4 C set in 1952).
• Berens River: 4.2 C (old record of 3.9 C set in 1993).
• Carberry: 4.6 C (old record of 4.5 C set in 1999).
• Carman: 10.1 C(old record of 6.5 C set in 1993).
• Deerwood:10 C (old record of 8 Cset in 1993).
• Dominion City:8.8 C (old record of 7.8 C set in 1952).
• Emerson:8.8 C (old record of 7.8 C set in 1952).
• Fisher Branch:7.4 C (old record of 5 Cset in 1993).
• Flin Flon: 6.4 C (old record of 5.5 C set in 1993).
• Gimli:8.4 C (old record of 4.4 C set in 1952).
• Grand Rapids: 6.9 C (old record of 6 Cset in 1993).
• Gretna: 10.4 C (old record of 5 C set in 1952).
• Melita: 6.2 C (old record of 4.8 C set in 2012).
• Morden: 11.3 C (old record of 7.2 C set in 1941).
• Oak Point:3.6 C (old record of 2.2 C set in 1973).
• Pilot Mound:8.1 C (old record of 3.5 C set in 2009).
• Pine Falls: 9 C (old record of 6.1 C set in 1952).
• Portage la Prairie:8.9 C (old record of 6 C set in 1993).
• Sprague:9.6 C (old record of 6.1 C set in 1952).
• Steinbach: 5.6 C (old record of 4.5 C set in 1993).
• The Pas:7.1 C (old record of 5.6 C set in 1993).
• Winkler:11.3 C (old record of 7.2 C set in 1941).

Environment Canada forecasts temperatures will remain well above normal across many parts of the province into the start of next week, with the potential for more old records to fall.