The milder winter temperatures we're seeing right now seems to be part of a trend toward warmer weather on the prairies.

Environment Canada Senior Climatologist David Phillips says this trend isn't a fluctuation, it's a change in climate.

He says this change could be good news, as a warmer climate could lead to a longer growing season, which would mean opportunities for more diverse crops.

"I don't want people to be seduced into thinking that it's all just good times ahead. There will 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 and it means that the season will be maybe 24 days longer, so there's the potential of growing things you couldn't."

Phillips says climate change is likely to happen faster on the prairies than the coast, and northern weather will likely change faster than the south, "clearly when we see southern Manitoba in 50-75 years from now, it's going to inherit what we see presently today in parts of Nebraska and possibly Iowa by the end of the century, and we know that the potential of growing more valuable food staffs is higher there than it is here, so it is a good news situation."

As the prairie climate gets increasingly warmer, this could mean longer, slower storms and more volatility in extreme weather.