OTTAWA -- Unseasonably warm weather continues across the national capital region and the record-setting heatwave is expected to last into the mid-week.
Many took to advantage of the sun on Monday, enjoying what is likely the last stretch of summer-like weather ahead of winter.
The temperatures may seem confusing but for Kyle Chase-Whalen and his two siblings. They wouldn't know. Last month, they moved to Ottawa from Washington D.C. in the United States. After quarantine, heading out to discover what the capital has to offer is top of mind, especially when it's above 20°C. So much so, mother Shauna Whalen says they took them out of class to check out Mooney's Bay Park. Her kids spent part of their journey rolling down the hill, little do they know, it’s also one of the best toboggan runs in the city.
"It's a beautiful day and we wanted to explore the spark that we've heard about," says Whalen. "We have all our winter gear ready to go and only used it for a couple of days last week."
In Ottawa the average temperature for November hovers around 7°C. Monday set a new record, reaching 22°C. On this day in 2011, it was 18.5°C.
It's all thanks to something called a "Bermuda high". A high-pressure system has parked itself over the eastern United States and is keeping the cold at bay.
While it may not be as hot as the beaches in Bermuda, three-year-old Rose Boucher is still having waves of fun splashing her feet in the Rideau River. Her mother Emmanuelle sums it up best saying, "It's actually perfect." She also offers this advice to Mother Nature.
"We are hoping for a week like this for every winter months we like to petition for that in Canada."
Our western neighbours would likely sign that petition. Over the weekend, parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta were blasted by a winter storm. In some regions, snowfall was in excess of 30 cm. The blizzard created havoc on the roads and even closed schools.
The forecast in the capital looks promising for the next few days, with more hot days but it's best you take it all in now. By the weekend, Ottawa will likely return to more normal single-digit temperatures.
Monday's record-breaking high was the second in a row this week.
Sunday's official high was 21.5°C, just edging out the 1938 high temperature record of 21.1°C.
The unusually warm fall weather continues on Tuesday with another 20°C day expected. The record high for Nov. 10 is 19.4°C, set in 1948.
Wednesday’s above-average high of 19°C comes with a 60 per cent chance of showers and although sunshine is expected, the forecasted high for Thursday is 8°C with the temperature returning to more seasonal highs for the rest of the week.
Remembrance Day might also experience a record high, despite the showers in the forecast. The warmest Nov. 11 on record at the Ottawa Airport was in 2002, when the mercury reached 16.5°C.
