Southern Manitoba should see a break from the extreme cold temperatures for at least the rest of this week, according to Natalie Hasell, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.

The recent cold snap prompted Extreme Cold Warnings on a couple of occasions. But, the weather is changing.

Hasell explains southern Manitoba was under the influence of an arctic ridge, which is an area of high pressure that develops as cold air from the north and makes its way to our part of the province. But, we are now under the influence of a double-barrelled low. Hasell says we have already seen the passage of one warm front and, depending on when the second warm front passes, will determine just how warm it gets today.

"Areas like the southwestern corner of the province have already seen the passage of that second front," she says. "At Melita, their morning temperature is -5 and they could see temperatures as warm as +2 this afternoon."

Hasell says the second front will probably only reach the Red River Valley by late this afternoon.

Today is expected to be the warmest day of the week, and Hasell says by Monday we should daytime highs back in the -14 degree range. Those below normal temperatures should last at least a week.

Hasell calls it a coincidence that most years southern Manitoba experiences either a January thaw or a February thaw. Similar to what is happening today, Hasell says if the ridge of high pressure sitting over an area finally allows the low-pressure system to come through, that is when we notice a huge change in the weather.