Thursday April 1, 2010.·By Michelle Mcquigge, The Canadian Press TORONTO - Typical Easter weather can be as frosty as the response to a bad April Fools prank, but a senior climatologist said balmy spring forecasts for much of Canada are no joke.

David Phillips of Environment Canada said Thursday that provinces from Ontario to Nova Scotia will experience record-breaking high temperatures throughout the coming long weekend.

And the rest of the country is expected to bask in unseasonably warm and dry conditions for the next three months, he said.

The warm spell will be most pronounced in the eastern part of the country, with temperatures soaring above highs not seen in years, he said.

In Ontario and Quebec, forecasters are expecting temperatures to exceed seasonal norms by as much as 15 to 20 degrees, he added.

"Smashing the records, clobbering it, pulverizing, whatever you want to say ... These are things that you should see two, two-and-a-half months from now," Phillips said in a telephone interview .

Mother Nature will rewrite the record books in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, Phillips said, adding that Saskatchewan will also experience milder-than-normal temperatures.

Sunny skies will prevail in Alberta, which Phillips said may come as unwelcome news to the province's farmers who are anxiously awaiting rain .

Temperatures will be far from balmy in the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, but Phillips said the northern regions will experience slightly warmer conditions and plenty of sunshine.

Only Manitoba and British Columbia need brace for a damp weekend, Phillips said, adding the picture will soon change.

Environment Canada's early projections paint a sunny picture for the next three months, with all provinces expected to register warmer, dryer conditions from April through June.

Phillips' prognostications came as welcome news to Scot Bateman, operations manager at Toronto's Pilot Tavern which boasts a popular rooftop patio.

The forecast of 25-degree temperatures for Friday prompted the bar to decide to open its doors for the day, he said, adding a long stretch of similar conditions would be welcome news after two successive cool summers .

"Last summer we were saying 'Well, at least it can't be as bad as the summer before,' and we were wrong - it was worse," Bateman said.

But beach-worthy conditions have a dark side too, Phillips said.

"Warm and dry creates all kinds of issues, from air quality to drought to forest fires to bugs and diseases and water levels. You name it," Phillips said. "It counters drinking beer and outdoor patios.".

An ideal summer would strike a balance between sun and rain, Phillips said, adding some precipitation is necessary to ward off forest fires and ensure healthy crop growth.

Environment Canada's early spring projections come a day after it reported record-low snowfall through March. The streets in traditional Ontario snow belts such as Ottawa and London were devoid of snow last month.

Only 1.4 centimetres of snow fell in Montreal, setting a new record low, while Calgary and Edmonton posted their second and third lowest monthly snowfall numbers, respectively.

Phillips attributed the unusually dry conditions to the weather phenomenon known as El Nino.

Fri. March 31, 2010.·Saudi Arabian officials charged a man for practicing witch craft; he is to be executed by beheading.

Fri. March 12, 2010.· Tropical Storm Hubert kills 10, affects 32,000 in Madagascar, disaster officials say The Canadian Press - 45 minutes ago.

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar - Madagascar's disaster officials say at least 10 people have died and 32,000 have been affected by Tropical Storm Hubert.

The storm hit the southeast coast of the Indian Ocean island nation on Wednesday. Madagascar's National Office for Disaster Preparedness said Friday that many homes have been destroyed by flooding.

Madagascar lies off the southeastern coast of Africa and is in the main storm path of the Indian Ocean basin.

It normally has three or four major cyclones each year. Fame, Ivan and Jokwe killed more than 100 in Madagascar in 2008 and affected 300,000 others.

Saturday February 27, 2010.Talka, Chile. One of the biggest earthquakes ever recorded sent tsunami across the Pacific Ocean, tore power lines, twisted roads and highways, tore buildings, and tossed vehicles all over the place. Looters hit the stores, homes, banks, and everything else they could find.