Not only will Cochrane get a reprieve from the lingering blast of cold weather but we will see above normal temperatures over the next few days.

Dan Kulak, Meteorologist with Environment Canada based in Edmonton, says while Cochranites may have felt our weather had reached record lows, it really didn't. "That Christmas period into New Year's was significantly cooler than the average but it was not record-setting in most senses. We did have some records that were set at times during that period but in general, that whole trend was not an exceptionally cold period even though it may have felt rather cold."

Mother Nature will be kinder to us over the next few days, shares Kulak, as temps are about to shoot up. "We are expected to be on the mild side for the next few days, normal temperatures for Cochrane are about highs of -6 and we're looking for a +7 or so for later on in the week. So going from 20 degrees below normal to perhaps 15 degrees above normal and then back to more of that seasonal weather for the start of next week."

With the rapid blast of warm weather can also come some safety risks. Sidewalks, store entryways, and back alleys, especially in the evening hours, could become rather icy, states Kulak. "Weather will freeze at night even with the warm daytime temperatures and one thing I think people really get caught by is the water that melts and floats across sidewalks and then rapidly freezes in the early evening and you don't see it, you see the concrete and it looks like it's bare until you actually meet it with your foot and you find out its not exactly good traction. Be careful especially once the sun goes down or goes into the shade from a building in the afternoon that any water might be on a surface that might actually turn to ice."

While tough to predict, Kulak gives us the longer range forecast a couple weeks out. "We don't actually have a worded forecast but the general trend does look like it is going to be remaining in that seasonal maybe slightly below seasonal temperatures."