OTTAWA -- The cold, arctic air has finally moved out of the national capital region, and Environment Canada's top forecaster says we have finally turned the corner on winter, though the Victoria Day long weekend isn't looking "perfect."

Environment Canada's forecast for Friday and the long weekend includes an overcast sky straight through to Monday in Ottawa.

Friday's forecast calls for off and on showers throughout the day, with a high of 14°C. Showers end by the evening. Cloudy, with fog patches overnight and a low of 9°C.

Previous forecasts of a sunny Saturday have been replaced by an outlook calling for clouds and a high of 18°C.

Sunday: cloudy with a high of 21°C.

For Victoria Day, the outlook calls for clouds, a 40 per cent chance of showers, and a high of 16°C.

You can put the toques away and get planting: Phillips

Environment Canada's senior climatologist says parents can put the mitts and hats away until the fall because he does not expect cold temperatures to come back again this spring and summer.

"I'm going to put my reputation on it. We've seen winter's last hurrah," David Phillips tells CTV Morning Live's Leslie Roberts. "Those freezing temperatures are not going to come back. We've had frost in June, but very rarely. I think we can write the obituary on wintry weather."

Phillips says this weekend will be about 12 to 15 degrees warmer than last weekend and while it's "not the perfect weekend" we might not see any rain Saturday or Sunday.

"I'd give it maybe a 6.5 out of 10. Not perfect, but certainly better than what we've seen," he said.

Phillips also says it may be a good weekend to get planting, especially now that the frost advisories from earlier in the week are gone.

"I don't see any freezing temperatures all this week. The lowest we're seeing at night is six degrees," he said. "Every day now, it becomes a little tougher for the cooler weather to come back so we've seen a patter change. I think, get out and buy and plant and I don't think you have any risk at all."

Summer outlook good

Phillips says the preliminary outlook for summer in Ottawa is warmer than normal, though he admits the official forecast won't be ready for another couple of weeks.

"The preliminary forecast is looking like it is going to be warmer than normal. We've gone through a couple of tough months but I see a light at the end of the tunnel. That tunnel is very long but, boy, there is some better news ahead."

Phillips says the forecast from mid-May to mid-June is showing warmer than normal weather in the Ottawa region.

"I think it's coming; we can feel it. This weekend will be a little teaser, where we finally see some seasonal temperatures. Hey, you guys are not greedy. Just give us something that's normal and we'll take it in a heartbeat."