If you didn’t make it outside Thursday and were stuck to the confines of your desk, well, you missed out.
Watch:
The calendar may have read January 5, but it felt anything like it. Winnipeg reached a high of 6.7°C, breaking an old record of 4.3°C set in 1984. Across the rest of Manitoba and into Saskatchewan, similar records were shattered as the mercury climbed to well above seasonal.
At The Forks, many people enjoyed their lunch hour outdoors, opting to sit on the array of benches that surround the recently closed canopy skating rink. Warm weather has forced officials to put up yellow caution tape around the rink to preserve the ice surface for when it eventually cools down again. Looking forward to lacing up for a jaunt down the river trail? Don’t hold your breath — that won’t be ready for a while yet.
Over at Assiniboine Park, tobogganers were having fun sliding on a mixture of lightly packed snow, brown grass and soil. It was at least one outdoor activity for kids to do while they enjoy the final days of their holiday break. The Duck Pond skating rink — which only opened for the season on December 30 — was shut down early yesterday due to melting concerns.
The good news — for those in the winter recreation business or anyone who doesn’t mind winter — is that the high today will stay below freezing, getting up to -2°C. A similar high will grace the city Saturday with a mix of sun and cloud.
ChrisD.ca video
