Could this be the last blast of cold weather in Ottawa? Environment Canada says not just yet

Frigid temperatures gripped the capital on Monday, but the forecast is calling for warm days ahead. CTV’s Camille Wilson reports.

After mild temperatures creeped in over the weekend, Ottawa is back to experiencing a cold snap.

March’s fickle weather brings puddles and wet areas one day as the snow melts and slippery and icy streets the next.

With the warmer weather, the Rideau Canal Skateway’s days could be getting short.

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Skaters on the canal on Monday were enjoying it while it lasts.

“I’m a winter person, so I think it’s absolutely great,” says John Fahey.

Fahey and his friend Paul Wubben are speedskaters and have gotten to skate many times on the canal for the season.

“John’s been out skating, what, 70 times? I’ve been out skating 40. Today’s my 42^nd,” says Wubben.

“Every winter, you kind of cross your fingers and hope that the canal gets open early and stays open late,” says Fahey.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) says its crews continue to work diligently to maintain and smooth the ice surface for as long as conditions allow it.

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“The Rideau Canal Skateway team is closely monitoring the weather forecast, which currently points to milder temperatures toward the middle of the week,” said the NCC in a statement to CTV News.

Sisters Nancy and Dale Duncan are visiting from Toronto and are happy to make it for the season.

“We were worried the conditions wouldn’t be good enough for skating. We really lucked out,” says Nancy. “So glad it froze over.”

“This is my third time here in recent years. The other times I was here, the canal was closed. This my first time skating the whole canal in over 20 years. I love the cold,” says Dale.

Environment Canada says Saturday was the warmest day of the entire month of February, and March entered with a bang, as the temperature fell below -20 C. Monday could be the coldest day of all for the month of March.

“Hey, is this winter over? No, no.” says Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips, “Don’t be shocked if the snow comes back.”

Phillips said the warm weather in the forecast this week is a bit of a teaser. “It’s like what I call a weather trailer. It’s sort of announcing what’s coming, but it’s not here yet.”

If it gets too warm for the Rideau Cana Skateway, Fahey and Wubben have a Plan B to still embrace winter.

“When we’re not skating, we’re skiing. Cross country skiing, which we’ve done a ton of too. It’s been fantastic,” says Fahey.

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“I realize the canal may be coming to a close fairly soon, but there’s lots of snow in Gatineau Park, so you know where I’m going to be, cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park as well,” says Wubben.

Phillips says although when the cold temperatures make a return, it wouldn’t be for long durations.

“These are like one or two, three days at worst. Then it kind of melts and then it warms up and then you have a little longer period and then it may come back to freeze again,” says Phillips.

He says this is typical for March and the game nature plays this time of the year.

Environment Canada says we are headed into the right direction and next week we could see warmer temperatures.

“Within less than a week, it’s going to warm up. We’re going to see temperatures on the weekend that are going to be about 11 degrees warmer than normal with rain, no snow, and certainly some melting,” says Phillips.