Toronto broke an 86-year weather record

Toronto broke an 86-year-old weather record on Friday as temperatures soared above 13 degrees in February.

Unofficial Environment Canada data showed the temperature at Toronto Pearson International Airport reached 11.4 degrees at 10 a.m., breaking the previous record of 10.6 degrees set in 1938.

The temperature reached 13.4 degrees at 12pm and is expected to rise until 4pm on the 14th, before slowly rising to 10 degrees tonight, the Federal Weather Service said.

Dave Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada, called the weather “very unusual” in an interview with CP24 on Friday morning.

“It's like a full spring,” Phillips said. “I mean, that's the kind of temperature you'd normally see in late April, not a few days before Valentine's Day.”

According to Phillips, Toronto City weather records, which date back to 1841 and measure temperatures in the city instead of the airport, show that Feb. 9 was the warmest 10 degrees ever recorded. Thus, Friday's temperature will destroy the 183-year-old. writing too.

A mix of relatively warm sun and clouds on Friday with isolated showers possible during the day.

Saturday will be cloudy with showers in the morning and afternoon and a high of 10 degrees. Temperatures will drop to 3 degrees on Sunday with isolated showers possible early next week.

Friday's warm-up may just be a 'teaser': Phillips

For those looking forward to an early spring, Friday's forecast is not encouraging, but it may not change, Phillips said.

“Our forecast says we're going to see seasonal temperatures next month,” Phillips explained. “Possibly a return to below freezing temperatures during the day and more snow.”

Toronto will see an average of 40 centimeters of snow, or one-third of the city's total winter snowfall, after Feb. 9, Phillips said.

Toronto has had a relatively mild winter so far, with just 5.6 centimeters of the city's most snowfall this season.

“I think it's a bit of a teaser. “It's not a full (winter) effect, but it adds to the milder and lighter winter we've had so far,” Phillips added.