Golf clubs are swinging as winter temps soar in Alberta

Thursday, February 18, 2016, 11:20 AM - Golf clubs are swinging after this winter has brought not only tolerable conditions to southern Alberta, but above seasonal and even record breaking warm temperatures.

For the first time since 2012, the Fox Hollow Golf Course in Calgary has been able to open in February.

"We’ve been getting calls for a couple of weeks once the warm weather streak kind of happened," says Greg Griffith with Fox Hollow. "There’s still snow covering the golf course and people are calling and asking when we’re going to open...People love it."

And who could blame them with a daytime high of 10°C forecast on Thursday.

"They get out here, even if it’s cold, they’re smiling, they’re playing golf, they’re telling you about their scores. It’s a lot of fun," Griffith says.

In the last 30 days, the city of Calgary has actually only had one day where temperatures have been below seasonal values.

"You know, in today’s economy, it’s a little pick me up for people. They can’t go down south with the Canadian dollar so at least they’re going to get some outside golf in," adds Griffith.

It's quite the contrast from the active storm pattern that has brought unbearably cold temperatures and record snowfall amounts to parts of eastern Canada. The nation's capital for example, picked up an all time daily record of 51 cm of snow from Tuesday's storm. That was even enough for some Albertans to chime in.

"What a dumping. I really feel for those people, lots of work to clear it and hard to get around," said Rob T after seeing these jaw-dropping photos of the east coast storm. "We in the beautiful south of Alberta have had well above normal temps and little snow all winter. I like winter, but don't want that much to deal with."

THESE MILD TEMPS COME WITH A PRICE

Although Albertans have had bragging rights for minimal shovel days, the mild winter temperatures could come back with a bite.

The official start to the wildfire season in Alberta this year is March 1, a full month earlier than usual.

Oneil Carlier, the province's agriculture and forestry minister, said though there may be snow on the ground in some areas, spring isn't far off, bringing with it warmer temperatures.

"While it's difficult to predict what the weather conditions will be like in the weeks and months ahead, we know right now that there has been below average snow and rainfall over much of Alberta over the past few months," Carlier said.

Find out more about the early start date here.