Toronto's topsy-turvy weather just shattered a longstanding heat record

It's been a hectic few days of weather in the city, the workweek starting with an Arctic blast that had air temperatures feeling like -30 C with wind chill.

Only 48 hours later, it's a downright balmy 10 C as Toronto basks in an unseasonably warm air system, one that just broke a surprising weather record in the city.

The mercury climbed throughout the morning hours, reaching 8.4 C by noon at Toronto-Pearson International Airport, making it the warmest midday high logged since record-keeping began at the airport in 1938.

It's the only documented Feb. 16 where the temperature has reached these heights, beating out the previous record from 1999, when a midday high of 7.9 C was recorded at Canada's busiest airport.

🥇With a ~noon high of 8.4°C, today is #Toronto-Pearson's warmest Feb 16th since records began in 1938. #TOWx #ONWx pic.twitter.com/nDOxmCdwxo

— Toronto Weather Records🌤 (@YYZ_Weather) February 16, 2022

Only records kept beyond Pearson Airport reveal a warmer day in Toronto history, but that was over a century ago.

🥈With a ~2pm high of 8.7°C, today is #Toronto's warmest Feb 16th in more than 100 years, since 1921. #ONWx #TOWx pic.twitter.com/N9xdKhAnPI

— Toronto Weather Records🌤 (@YYZ_Weather) February 16, 2022

Despite the record-breaking temperature for this day of the year, it's actually pretty late in the season for the first blast of warm weather, with Jan. 10 the average date for the first +7 C day of the year.

Today is #Toronto's first 7°C of the year. Typical first is January 10. Record earliest is Jan 1, 1848/.../2012; latest Apr 8, 1885. #TOWx pic.twitter.com/sgVGaGK7Z4

— Toronto Weather Records🌤 (@YYZ_Weather) February 16, 2022

It's never a surprise to see Toronto temperatures much milder than western cities such as Winnipeg and Edmonton, registering -18 C and -12 C at noon Wednesday, respectively. But it's pretty rare to see Toronto experience balmier weather than Vancouver, with that city seeing a midday high of 8 C on Wednesday.

But before you break out the beach towels and sunscreen, be warned that these mild conditions will be very short-lived. We'll start sliding back to normal temperatures late on Thursday, with a high of 7 C and mixed precipitation giving way to an overnight low of -12 C going into Friday.

As Toronto was basking in the morning sun, Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Wednesday morning, warning that "A low-pressure system is expected to track northeast across Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Thursday night which will bring a messy mix of wintry precipitation to southern Ontario."

So enjoy the record-breaking heat while it lasts.