The extremely mild temperatures southwestern Saskatchewan has basked in during December are projected to continue for at least the next week.

Daytime highs in the region for the next three days are expected to be well above the freezing mark with sunny conditions.

Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said the continued warm weather can be attributed to a strong El Niño.

"It generally quite warm and dry conditions to most of western Canada throughout the winter period," she said. "That trend is certainly continuing through this week."

Swift Current's average temperature through the entire month of December currently is -1 C. While there is still about one-third of the month remaining, the city is well on its way to breaking the warmest December ever recorded back in 1939 at -2.2 C. The second warmest December in Swift Current history has a tie between 1890 and 1997 at -3.1 C.

"It certainly looks like it's going to be one of the warmest Decembers if not the warmest December on record," she said. "You guys have a fairly lengthy record (137 years) so it's significant."

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