Temperatures have been hovering close to record-breaking levels in many southwest Saskatchewan centres this week.

Recent blizzard-like snowfall has quickly diminished, as roadways and sidewalks have been collecting the water from melting snow.

John Paul Cragg, a Warning Preparedness Meteorologist with Environment Canada, explains the high temperatures this week are caused by warm air coming over the Rocky Mountains from the Pacific Ocean.

He adds that the warm air receives a helping hand from the highest point in Saskatchewan.

"With the winds blowing out of the southwest, Swift Current gets a temperature bump from Cypress Hills. As the air comes over the Cypress Hills and down on the other side, the sinking motion of the air on the down-wind side actually warms the air up," he said,

However, the Environment Canada Meteorologist states the warm weather may not hang around for much longer.

"Looking into next week, beginning around the 20th, there's some indication that colder temperatures will prevail and there will be a slow decrease in temperatures for the end of February. So it looks like this warm spell will be the warmest that we see this month," he said.

Cragg says the second half of the month will have daytime highs settling down around -5, with overnight lows of -15. That would place the temperatures slightly below average for the end of February.