Ottawa broke a decades-held daily temperature record Wednesday when the mercury hit a practically balmy high of 12 C in the afternoon.

CBC Ottawa climatologist Ian Black had forecast the record high, the same number predicted by Environment Canada.

SEND US | Photos, videos, stories of Wednesday's warm weather to cbcnewsottawa@cbc.ca.

The temperature hit in the mid-afternoon and marks the warmest Mar. 7 in nearly four decades, as temperatures reached 11.1 C on this day in 1974.

Wednesday's warm temperature was also a big swing from the -20 C that hit Ottawa at one point Tuesday, which is a 32 C jump.

The jump is not very unusual, according to the Ontario Storm Prediction Centre, considering how unpredictable Ottawa's winter has been so far.

"In the course of over a year, there's usually a couple record-match temperatures set," said Rob Cuhn,

"Given the type of winter we're having, we get appearances of winter, then cold air shoved off to the north. Mild air comes in. Now this is just continuing what's been going on this whole winter. Just up and down like a rollercoaster."

The warm weather might have put the finishing touches on a couple winter activities in Ottawa.

The Rink of Dreams can't freeze ice at temperatures above 10 C, and the rink was closed at about 4 p.m. Wednesday. The city said the rink may reopen Wednesday if cooler temperatures return.

The city also closed its 55 sledding hills Tuesday in anticipation of the heat.

The Rideau River Conservation Authority is also warning of melting snow and ice as rivers and streams could rise quickly. Flooding was not expected.