How on earth did Hudson Bay score points in Canada's hotspots this week?

People in the southern Prairies missed out on the heat because the pesky low was hovering over the area. Meanwhile, winds blowing around the system channeled heat from the U.S. deep into northern Manitoba and Ontario.

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While the cool waters of the Great Lakes took the heat off many Ontario residents, southerly winds evaded the cold lakes on their way to northwestern Ontario, sending temperatures soaring to dizzying heights.

These warm winds heated up even more as they descended into the Hudson Bay lowlands. Descending air warms and dries out as it descends, which is the same principle as a Chinook off the Rocky Mountains – only on a smaller and less extreme scale.

All of this combined to push the national high temperature up to 28.8°C in Gillam, Manitoba, on Thursday, while the national high temperature along the provincial border in Moosonee, Ontario, also climbed to 28.8°C on Friday.

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This type of heat is not uncommon in communities near Hudson Bay. In fact, it is not unusual to see the first 30-degree temperatures of the season in this part of Canada.

Extreme temperature swings are a part of everyday life in this part of Canada. Last year, Peawanuck, Ontario, reached 32°C at 4:00 p.m. on May 30, but a strong wind shift from the lake caused temperatures to drop to just 2°C at 8:00 a.m. the next day.