Showers and above average temperatures put white Christmas in jeopardy in Thunder Bay

Unusually warm temperatures across northwestern Ontario may mean a brown and soggy Christmas this year.

With 10 days left until the big man in red comes to town, Thunder Bay, Ont., is seeing showers and a high of 6 C on Friday, which is 12 C warmer than the average for Dec. 15, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

While temperatures are expected to dip below zero next week, warning preparedness meteorologist Peter Kimbell said the entire month of December has seen above average temperatures.

"The normal mean for the month of December, for the whole month, is - 11 C or - 12 C," he told CBC News this week. "We project that probably the rest of the month will be above average in terms of temperatures."

Although Kimbell doesn't expect to be setting records with these numbers, he said the next week will see "a roller coaster of temperatures going up and down."

Temperatures would have to warm up to 9.7 C on Friday to beat the record high from 1997.

On Friday afternoon, the City of Thunder Bay put out a statement saying that due to the mild and rainy weather, the outdoor rink at Prince Arthur's Landing has been temporarily closed. With colder weather conditions expected, the rink will re-open in the coming days.

Friday morning's showers may turn to flurries by the evening, but even so, "I would say maybe at best, 50 per cent chance of a white Christmas," Kimbell said. "I wouldn't want to bet on it."