Montreal is experiencing its second warmest winter since meteorological data has been recorded since 1871, according to Environment Canada.
Meteorologist Gregory Yang noted that the average monthly temperature for December, January and February was four degrees higher than normal.
He said the temperature reached 14.9 degrees on February 27, a record for that day. Only the winter of 2001-2002 was warmer in Montreal.
Records go back to 1871, so that's quite a long time, he said.
The mild temperatures even encouraged Genie, the black bear at the Ecomuseum Zoo in Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue on the island of Montreal, to come out of hibernation earlier than usual.
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At the Ecomuseum Zoo in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, the bear spirit has put the winter behind him.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Graham Hughes
A spokeswoman, Sarah Prince-Robin, said the bear made its first official outing Friday, just in time for the start of spring break for many students.
Ms Prince-Robin believes a number of factors may have contributed to the animal's early awakening. This large mammal is often stimulated by temperature and barometric pressure to realize that spring is just around the corner.
In the Écomusée, bears are considered even better harbingers of spring than marmots.
Yang said the average temperature was -1°C in December, -5.3°C in January and -3.4°C in February. From 1981 to 2010, the recorded averages were -5.4°C, -9.7°C and -7.7°C for the same months.
Low rainfall
Across Quebec, the month of December was characterized by light snowfall and temperatures well above average, as Environment Canada announced in early January.
Even though snowfall in Montreal was close to the seasonal average due to an early December storm, this city was one of the many places in the province that experienced a green Christmas.
The months of January and February were also mild, although there were sometimes violent temperature fluctuations, which frustrated both slope operators and fans of winter sports such as ice skating and cross-country skiing.
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A boy was skateboarding in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue on Sunday.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Graham Hughes
The Weather Network's spring forecast released last week suggests that most Canadians can expect similar conditions in the spring. The broadcaster predicted a warmer-than-average season, but also warned Canadians to prepare for sudden seasonal mood swings.
Forecasts released on Wednesday suggest that the unusually mild winter across much of the country due to El Niño will pave the way for even nicer weather in the coming weeks.