While the Yukon is known as the land of ice and snow, the great wild North is rivalling cities across the country for its balmy temperatures this week.

Thursday's high in Whitehorse climbed to 6 C. It was a temperature reminiscent of crocuses popping their spear-shaped heads through the snow.

This mid-afternoon high, reached at about 2:00, won Whitehorse the shared title of warmest capital city in Canada.

While the coldest high yesterday was -25 in Iqaluit, Nunavut, the warmest high was 6 C, in both Victoria and Whitehorse.

Edmonton came in a close second, rising to 4 C at about 11 p.m.

Thursday's temperature is the highest ever recorded for Dec. 8 in Whitehorse, according to Bill Miller, client services manager with the Yukon Weather Centre.

Thursday's winter warming beat the previous high by about two degrees, which was a temperature of 3.9 C recorded in 1943.

Temperatures have been recorded for a little over 60 years, since 1942, Miller said this morning.

The highest recorded temperature for Whitehorse in December had mercury rising to 10.6 C on Dec. 23, 2004.

The mercury rose well above zero on today's date back in 1986, when the high was gauged at 7.7 C.

On the opposite end of the thermometer, the coldest temperature in Whitehorse was taken during the first year of recording in 1942.

The city went into deep-freeze on Dec. 19, 1942, with the temperature plummeting to - 47.8.

The average temperature for mid-December tends to fluctuate between about -12 to -20, according to Environment Canada data.