These Sask. communities broke temperature records during the latest winter warm streak

CTV National News: How El Niño could affect Canada Heather Butts reports on how El Niño could potentially impact Canadians, as the world may have seen its hottest day ever.

A number of Saskatchewan communities broke or tied temperature records in early December – going as far back as 1988.

On Dec. 6, historic high temperatures were recorded across southern Saskatchewan – as an Alberta warm front continued to move across the province.

The biggest jump was recorded in Coronach, Sask. – located 210 kilometers southwest of Regina near the U.S border.

The town’s weather station recorded a temperature of 10.1 C, breaking a 2012 record of 9.6 C.

Other communities with broken records included Elbow (8.1 in 1999 to 8.6 C), Lucky Lake (8.4 in 1999 to 8.7 C) and Rockglen (8.9 in 2012 to 9.0 C).

The highest temperature in the Environment Canada and Climate Change weather summary – 12.0 C in Cypress Hills – tied the record set all the way back in 1988.

Much of western Canada is expected to be impacted by El Nino – a phenomenon that occurs when surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean warm during the winter months – leading to above seasonal temperatures.

With files from Drew Postey.