The second week of January is promising to offer Yellowknifers a bit of mild weather.

There are days on the way that ought to see temperatures get as warm as -9 C, according to Environment Canada. For most of the next week, the city's looking at temperatures hovering around -20掳C, if the forecast holds.

How does that compare to previous years? Well, let's use Jan. 11 as an example, which is predicted to be around -18 C, by Environment Canada's estimates.

In 2013, it was about -30 C that day. In 2020, it was around -39 C and in 2024 it was close to -42 C.

Asked whether the city has any concerns about the potential for melting snow, a municipal spokesperson said the city is always proactively planning for different situations, and has an annual plan for when snow begins to melt.

"If roads begin to be slippery, crews will increase the frequency of road sanding," the city stated in an email. 

Regarding sidewalks in the Central Business District and on Franklin Avenue, from Matonabee Street to 57 Street, people with property in that area must clear all snow and ice from the sidewalk within 24 hours from the time that snow or ice accumulated. Residents must also apply sand or salt as necessary to make the sidewalk safe.

These rules come from Highway Traffic Bylaw Section 95. It's in an effort to take reasonable measures and ensure pedestrians' safety, the municipality explained.

"In other parts of the city, residents have the responsibility to ensure they are clearing the sidewalks abutting their property," the correspondence added.

Justin Shelley, a meteorologist with ECCC, said the reason for the upward trend in temperatures is due to a large upper ridge of high pressure along the Pacific coast.

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He added that the average daytime high for early January in Yellowknife is -19 C with the overnight low close to -28 C.

ItSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to predict what the temperature will do beyond a seven-to-10-day period, Shelley admitted, but expect cooler temperatures to stick around more often than not because of La Nina, which brings colder temperatures to the western part of North America.