Extreme cold warnings cover almost all of Ontario and Quebec, Canada

A prolonged period of very cold wind chills is forcing authorities to keep extreme cold warnings active over almost entire Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Extreme cold warnings are issued when very cold temperatures or wind chill creates an elevated risk to health such as frostbite and hypothermia.

Wind chill values of -40 to -45 °C (-40 to -49 °F) are expected Monday morning, January 21, Environment Canada said, adding that conditions in Ontario will begin to slowly moderate through the day with wind chills near -25 to -30 °C (-13 to -22 °F). The cold spell will last into Tuesday over Northern and Central Quebec.

EC meteorologists urged residents to 'cover up as frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill.'

Risks are greater for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working or exercising outdoors, and those without proper shelter. Dress warmly. Dress in layers that you can remove if you get too warm.

Parts of Ontario woke up to 30+ cm (12 inches) of snow today after a powerful winter storm hit both United States and Canada.

Lake effect flurries continue off of southern Lake Huron which closed Hwy 402 Sunday evening between Sarnia and Strathroy due to poor weather conditions in intense snow squalls, The Weather Network reports. As of Monday morning, east and westbound lanes of the highway remained closed between Mandaumin and Kerwood roads.

"Monday's early deep freeze with wind chill values in the -30s (-22 to -40 °F) was enough to cancel school buses around the GTA," TWN meteorologists said. 

"Some of the coldest temperatures for several years have hit southern Ontario, including morning lows that gave Ottawa the dubious distinction of being the coldest capital city on Earth early Saturday, January 19. While temperatures start to rebound slightly on Monday, wind chills are still expected to be in the -20s (-4 to -22 °F) in the southwest and the GTA, and closer to -30 °C (-22 °F) for the National Capital Region and points further north. Temperatures will climb back closer to seasonal to close out the week, although that might not last for long."

Featured image credit: Scott Sutherland @ScottWx_TWN