Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 24/99) - Yellowknifers who ventured out into the slush Sunday found themselves basking in temperatures well-above normal.

Although it was far from balmy, Yvonne Wallace, meteorologist at the Arctic Weather Centre in Edmonton, reports Yellowknife hit a record-high Sunday.

The thermometer reached 5.1 C, breaking the old maximum of 2.8 C set in 1992.

The records go back to 1943.

"An upper ridge brought a dry, southerly, warm flow of air," she said.

"South winds -- think warm."

Racking up five degrees may not seem too dramatic, but consider the normal temperature for this time of year -- around minus 10 C.

That's a whopping 15 degrees above normal.

And it looks like the milder temperatures will continue for the rest of the week, she said.

Down the road, expect above normal temperatures for the rest of March, Wallace adds.

As for the long-range outlook, Yellowknifers can expect normal temperatures and normal precipitation through May, she said.

Overall, residents of Yellowknife can say goodbye to the third warmest winter on record, she said.

Charles Laird said he took advantage of the milder temperatures to get in some cross-country skiing at the Yk Ski Club.

"Ski trails like warm weather. They get a lot faster when it gets warmer," he said.

Laird said the trails were in great shape because of the record amount of snow that fell earlier this month.

Dale Johnson at Wolverine Sports said ice-fishing enthusiasts are appreciating the warmer temps.

"Definitely. The warmer weather has made a difference. People are happier," he said.

And because it has not been as cold, more people are getting out with the kids, he said.

But, he adds, the warmer weather also means portages get dicey. That means access can be cutoff, he adds.