Residents here in Moose Jaw should be able to ditch the winter jacket this weekend, as a warm front is making its way to the city, bringing with it some above-average temperatures.  

Environment Canada says that a series of weather systems in British Columbia and western North America has created an upper ridge, which will cause the jet stream to move farther north. 

“When the jet stream moves farther to the north we tend to get into the milder air,” says Environment and Climate Change Canada Meteorologist, Terri Lang. “It tends to chinook through Alberta and we get the tail end of that. Milder air will be moving in toward the weekend, which is a nice change because it’s been feeling a little bit on the cool side.” 

Warm is what it will be this weekend, as the current forecast is showing a daytime high of one degree on Saturday, zero on Sunday and –6 degrees on Monday.  

These forecasted temperatures are welcoming and unusual, as the seasonal average for January is –6.9 degrees for a high and –17.7 for a low.  

Though it will be milder over the weekend it won’t be record-breaking, as the record for Saturday is 7.9 seen back in 1990 and 8.9 set back in 1958.  

There will be some risks with these milder temperatures, as though the snow and ice will thaw during the day, overnight lows are expected to be below freezing, which could become dangerous on area roads and highways.  

“Just a reminder that black ice may form in the overnight period when the temperatures drop below freezing.” 

For up-to-date road conditions visit Discover Moose Jaw's  Road Reports and Cancellations page and the Saskatchewan Highway Hotline.