Happy first day of summer... er... we mean spring

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

ENVIRONMENT CANADA

***************************
TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING.

BUT IT FEELS LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER IN PARTS OF NORTHERN ONTARIO.

WE ARE NEARING THE END OF AN HISTORIC WARM SPELL ACROSS ONTARIO WITH RECORD TEMPERATURES TUMBLING BY THE DOZEN EVERY DAY.

ALMOST 120 DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS HAVE BEEN REWRITTEN OVER THE PAST WEEK ACROSS THE PROVINCE.

SOME RECORDS HAVE BEEN SHATTERED BY AS MUCH AS 14 DEGREES.

NORMALLY WE ARE STILL FEELING THE CHILL OF WINTER'S FINAL BREATH.

BUT INSTEAD, WORDS SUCH AS HUMIDEX, DAFFODILS AND PATIO WEATHER ARE ON EVERYBODY'S LIPS.

EVEN ACROSS NORTHERN ONTARIO THE SNOW PACK HAS BEEN MELTING AT INCONCEIVABLE RATES.

FOR INSTANCE, GERALDTON REPORTED 31 CENTIMETRES OF SNOW ON THE GROUND ON MARCH 18TH.

TWO DAYS LATER IT HAD VIRTUALLY ALL MELTED.

IT APPEARS THAT THIS MARCH WILL LIKELY BE THE WARMEST MARCH ON RECORD FOR SOME PLACES.

THIS WARM SPELL WILL LAST INTO WEDNESDAY ACROSS NORTHEASTERN ONTARIO BEFORE A COLD FRONT WILL INTRODUCE SOMEWHAT COOLER AIR.

BELOW ARE RECORD MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS SET ON MONDAY 19-MAR-2012.

PLEASE REFER TO THE TABLE BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS.

LOCATION            NEW RECORD    PREVIOUS RECORD

KENORA                       23.8                      11.3 (2000)
RED LAKE                    23.2                      11.2 (2000)
SIOUX LOOKOUT        21.9                      13.9 (1946)
FORT FRANCES          26.0                      10.0 (2000)
THUNDER BAY            17.4                       12.2 (1946)
UPSALA                        22.9                       9.8  (2003)
GERALDTON                20.7                      11.0 (1987)
KAPUSKASING            25.1                      11.7 (1970)
TIMMINS                       23.6                      12.2 (1970, 1979)
CHAPLEAU                   23.9                       9.5  (1980)
WAWA                           20.0                      10.3 (2003)
SAULT STE MARIE      21.3                      11.1 (1976)
SUDBURY                    20.3                       8.3  (1970)
NORTH BAY                 22.8                      11.7 (1946)

THIS WEATHER SUMMARY CONTAINS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION AND MAY NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFICIAL OR FINAL REPORT.

***************************