Arctic air brings bone-chilling cold to southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba

A mass of Arctic air moving over Canada is expected to bring bone-chilling cold through the weekend, with the most severe conditions in southern Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba, Environment Canada forecasters said.

Danielle Desjardins, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, warned that "frostbite can occur in minutes or less." In some spots early Saturday and Sunday morning temperatures could fall as low as minus 49 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 45 degrees Celsius) and will feel even colder with winds; afternoon highs in the coldest areas likely will not surpass minus 31 F (minus 35 C). Cities including Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg are under severe cold weather alerts through the weekend.

Toronto faced snow squalls and extreme cold as well, with forecasts of lows near 10 F (minus 12 C); those conditions led to the cancellation of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ annual outdoor practice on Saturday and the closure of the city’s zoo on Monday, the report said. Alberta, Quebec and other parts of Ontario are also experiencing the Arctic air, though Desjardins said temperatures there "won’t be quite as extreme."

The report added that the Arctic air has spilled into the United States, helping fuel a storm expected to bring snow and ice from the southern Plains to the Northeast and wind chills as cold as minus 50 F in the Northern Plains and upper Midwest. In Canada, a reprieve from the cold is expected early next week.

Key Topics

World, Arctic Air, Southern Saskatchewan, Southern Manitoba, Winnipeg, Environment Canada