Spectators cheer during the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Toronto on March 11, 2012. Matthew Sherwood for The Globe and MailMatthew Sherwood for The Globe and Mail/The Globe and Mail
Toronto residents were treated to soaring temperatures and sunny skies on Sunday, drawing joggers and cyclists onto the streets and boosting spirits at the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Temperatures at Toronto's Pearson International Airport hit 17.3 degrees on Sunday afternoon, smashing the March 11 record – set in 1977 – by a full two degrees. Other parts of the province saw a spike in temperatures as well, with cities as far north as Dryden and Kenora reaching highs in the mid-teens.
And the weather is expected to remain balmy throughout the week, with daily highs for Toronto ranging from 12 to 21 degrees, according to Environment Canada.
"I don't think we necessarily can write the obituary on winter yet," said David Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada. "But this week is going to clearly take the air out of winter."
He said this winter will likely turn out to be the second-warmest on record, and the least snowy one Toronto residents have ever seen.
"In terms of the look and feel of winter, this has been really one of the most unusual winters in Toronto," Mr. Phillips said. "Every month has been warmer than normal, by a long shot."