Record-breaking warm temperatures in the forecast for Ottawa this week

Ottawa residents will enjoy an early taste of summer this week, with potentially record-breaking warm temperatures in the forecast.

Environment Canada is calling for six straight days of mainly sunny skies, with temperatures hitting 30 C on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"It's an unseasonably strong ridge of high pressure for this time of year," Environment Canada meteorologist Daniel Liota said Sunday evening.

The unseasonably warm temperatures cover most of Ontario and Quebec.

Liota says it will get "progressively warmer through the week", with the unseasonably warm temperatures expected to come to an end early next week.

Environment Canada is calling for a high of 23 C on Monday and 25 C Tuesday..

The record-breaking temperatures are expected to move into the region beginning on Wednesday, with a high of 28 C. The current record for hottest May 11 is 26.8 C set in 2001.

Thursday's forecast high of 30 C would break the record for warmest May 12 in Ottawa history. The current record is 27.6 C, set back in 1992. Friday's high of 30 C would break the record for hottest May 13, which is 28.2 C set back in 1995.

The average high for this time of year is around 18 C, while the average low is 7 C.

Liota says temperatures will return to seasonal levels by Monday, May 16.

FROST ADVISORY

Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory for Ottawa tonight, with the low expected to be 1 C.

"Tonight should be the last night we have the risk of patchy frost," Liota said.

The frost advisory says patchy frost is expected to develop early Monday morning as temperatures fall to near the freezing mark.

"Cover up plants, especially those in frost-prone areas," Environment Canada said.