The old Christmas song goes, "Oh the weather outside is frightful," but in actuality for the past week and a half it's felt like early fall temperatures here in Southern Alberta.

Temperatures have been five degrees above normal for this time of year which technically categorizes it as a heat wave.

Metorologist Kirk Torneby at Environment Canada says the warm temperatures recorded lately are due to a strong westerly flow from Rocky Mountains.

"Over the last five years or so it looks to be a few degrees above normal for this time of year," he says. "We had some blips last year where it was colder than normal but overall it looks like its a couple degrees above normal for both the fall and into the beginning of September."

Torneby also says this weather isn't going to change drastically anytime soon.

"Looking at the seasonal outlook in the next three months, stretching out through March it looks like its going to keep us in a fairly warm pattern with above seasonal kind of temperatures that will probably about two degrees above normal for all of Southern Alberta."

But Torneby was quick to point out that the snow will make it's inevitable return as early as this weekend.

"If it could happen it would be into Friday, but if you look into the long term over the course of the winter we're setting up for one of those El Nino type patterns, but that generally means for Alberta and the prairies generally milder conditions and a little less precipitation and snow cover during the whole winter season."