There's light at the end of the cold tunnel.

Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips said we just have to get through this cold week first.

"It's going to have to share some spotlights with the El Nino to the west. So we are going to see some Pacific air which is certainly going to make things less brutal than what we are seeing this week."

Phillips said this winter will seem a lot shorter than last year because of what he calls a flip flop in the forecasts.

"This yo-yo kind of weather is back and forth. A little bit of melting, maybe short term. But then back into the cold. And then back into the melting back and forth. I mean we wear out our body changing clothes but my gosh it does make the season shorter," he said.

Phillips said the middle of January and February are calling for milder than normal temperatures.

And while he said it's too early to say what the summer will bring, spring won't be as slow in coming when compared to last year.