The weather has been anything but normal to start 2021.

Natalie Hasell with Environment Canada says most people in southern Manitoba probably have a mental image of this time of year being very cold. She notes it seems normally the "deep plunge" occurs sometime between Christmas and New Year's. But not this year.

According to Hasell, southern Manitoba is currently under the influence of a ridge of high pressure, allowing warm air to sit over the southern Prairies. She notes the weather pattern shows the cold air will stay to the north for an extended period of time yet.

The fact it is only January 4th and already Steinbach has had two days this month with temperatures above the freezing mark is not normal. In fact, Hasell says historically, there are 2.2 days each January where this happens. If Steinbach reaches its forecast high of +2 degrees on Monday, that means we will already be ahead of the average number of days above zero for a normal January. It will also mean we will tie the record high for January 4th of +2 degrees, set back in 1984.

"We normally talk about freeze/ thaw cycles in March and maybe in the fall," notes Hasell. "Very rarely I think do we talk about it at the beginning of January, but here we are."

As for how long this will continue, Hasell says it is unclear. She notes Monday might be the last day for this week where the temperature climbs above zero, yet with daytime highs dipping to -9 degrees by Sunday, that would still be about four degrees warmer than normal.

Meanwhile, Hasell says there is not much precipitation in the forecast for this week.

"We are in temperature ranges that would produce snow but it doesn't look like we have a whole lot of cloud to actually do it," notes Hasell. "Maybe there will be the occasional flurry here and there."