THUNDER BAY — "For people who like the warmer weather, what a treat," says Gerald Cheng, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
Cheng was referring to temperatures in Thunder Bay in January, which averaged nearly six degrees Celsius higher than normal.
The average daily temperature was -8.9, compared with January's long-term daily average of -14.8.
The average daily maximum for the month was -4.1, almost five degrees higher than normal.
It was the warmest January in Thunder Bay since 2006.
Cheng said western Canada experienced severely cold weather last month, but the Arctic air masses that affected the west never made their way into Ontario.
"It sort of strayed north, and bypassed Thunder Bay and surrounding areas. That is why we saw such a warm trend."
Cheng said the weather in the northwest this week and next is expected to fall back to a more normal pattern, with temperatures close to the long-term averages for early February.
