More mild weather is in store for southwestern and central Quebec Sunday and Monday.

In Montreal, temperatures are expected to rise above 6 degrees Celsius for two days, and in Quebec City, where the annual winter Carnival is taking place, the temperature will be well above the freezing point.

The warm spells have been frequent this winter, which meteorologists say is primarily due to the El Nino phenomenon.

Environment Canada meteorologist André Cantin said that El Nino has been very intense for several weeks in the Pacific Ocean, which greatly changes the movement of weather systems.
  
In Quebec this January, temperatures were about 4 degrees Celsius above normal.

Cantin expects that trend to continue in February, and even believes that spring could come early this year –  however, he adds, nothing is for certain.