Milder winter temperatures we're seeing right now seems to be part of a trend toward warmer weather on the Prairies, and Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips says this trend isn't a fluctuation — it's a change in climate.

"When we see southern Manitoba in 50 to 75 years from now, it's going to inherit what we see presently today in parts of Nebraska, and maybe even Iowa by the end of the century," he says, adding that this isn't necessarily bad news. A warmer climate could mean a longer growing season.

"We know the potential for growing more food stuffs there is higher (in Nebraska) than it is here, so it is a good news situation," he says.

Phillips says even crops like grapes could become more common in certain parts of the country, but on the flipside of a longer growing season, more production issues may also arise from a warmer climate.

"I don't want people to be seduced into thinking it's all just la-la times ahead," he says, "there are going to be challenges with bugs and weeds and water, and other issues like that. It doesn't mean a frost-free period, there will still be frost. It means the season will be maybe 24 days longer so there will be potential for growing things that you can't grow now."

Phillips says models forecast climate will change faster on the Prairies than on the coast, with northern areas changing faster than southern areas.