Canada continues to shiver through record cold snap — and there’s little relief in sight

Ben Forrest | Jan 23, 2013 1:33 PM ET | Last Updated: Jan 23, 2013 6:21 PM ET
More from Ben Forrest | @benthereporter

A man braves temperatures that feel like -40C with windchill in Ottawa on Wednesday.

 

Canadians continue to battle a wicked spate of winter weather that has brought torrents of snow to parts of the country and sent temperatures plunging to their lowest levels in years.

Toronto dipped just below -20 C Wednesday morning, the coldest it’s been since January 2011, but with the wind chill, it felt closer to -26 C. The city has been under an extreme cold weather alert since Monday after enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures through December and early January.

Ottawa, where a wind chill warning is in effect, is also being lashed by the chilly blast. The city shivered through its coldest morning in eight years on Wednesday after falling to -28 C. It will only get colder in the capital, with Environment Canada calling for a low of -29 Wednesday night with a wind chill of -38 C. Thursday the high will hit -19, with a wind chill of -42.

A wind chill warning is also in effect in Montreal, where the city has a projected overnight low of -26 C, but a freezing breeze will make it feel -38. Gusts to 20 km/h will mean a high of just -18 on Thursday with a wind chill of -38.

The cold is expected to push Quebec electricity consumption to record levels on Thursday, prompting Hydro-Québec to ask customers to conserve power.

It’s expected consumption will exceed 39,500 MW on Thursday, according to the electricity provider’s website.

Hydro-Québec is asking consumers to reduce power consumption during the peak periods of 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday and 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Thursday.

The website lists the following measures as the “most effective ways to reduce consumption”:
• Lowering the thermostat by one or two degrees Celsius in all rooms, especially rooms that are not being used;
• Delaying the use of major appliances, especially dryers and dishwashers, by a few hours; and
• Limiting hot water use as much as possible.
Hydro-Québec has also reduced heating and lighting on all its buildings across the province, according to the website.

Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press   A man waits for the bus braving temperatures that felt like -40 C with windchill in Ottawa on Wednesday. 

 

On the roads, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) set a record for service calls in Manitoba on Monday with 1,455 but call volume has since decreased, according to public and government affairs manager Liz Peters.

A typical day in winter brings 250 to 300 calls, Peters said.

The company’s south-central Ontario region was also busy, answering around 5,700 calls on Wednesday, many of them for cars that wouldn’t start according to media relations representative Jeff LeMoine.

Given the frigid weather, Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson recommend dressing in layers, wearing a good pair of boots, mittens and a hat.

Drivers should also carry a car emergency kit with jumper cables, a big winter jacket and extra blanket, Coulson said.

Brian McInnis-Charlottetown Guardian / Canadian Press   Dennis O'Brien of Charlottetown dressed for the record-breaking cold temperature on Wednesday when he headed to the grocery store. Environment Canada said it was the coldest Jan. 23 on record for for the island province and with the strong wind it felt more like -29 C. 

 

“It can be dangerous the longer you wait in these conditions, especially if you’re in an exposed situation,” Coulson added.

Snow squalls also ripped through parts of Ontario overnight and below-seasonal temperatures are expected through Saturday, Coulson said.

But with a warm front expected early next week, Toronto’s average temperature for January could still be higher than normal, Coulson added. The city’s average temperature through Tuesday was -1.2 C, compared to the normal average of -6.3 C.

Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press   Two skaters make their way along the Rideau Canal braving temperatures that felt like -40 C with wind chill in Ottawa on Wednesday. 

 

Temperatures are also unseasonably cold in areas east of the Rocky Mountains according to Coulson, with Winnipeg posting a forecast high of -25 C on Wednesday – much lower than the typical high of -12 C.

Saskatoon’s forecast high was -23 C, compared to the normal -8 C and Edmonton was also below normal with a forecast high of -12 C, compared to the normal high of -8.

Yellowknife is expected to hover around -27 C overnight, while Iqaluit has a forecast low of -22 C and Whitehorse has a forecast high of -6 C.

Vancouver was the only major centre in the country with temperatures above freezing late Wednesday afternoon, sitting at 6 C.

It can be dangerous the longer you wait in these conditions, especially if you’re in an exposed situation

Despite the weather, St. John’s International Airport listed few cancelled or delayed flights on its website.

Six cancelled departures were listed on Wednesday afternoon, and only one arrival was listed as delayed.

Coulson said he is unaware of any weather-related deaths in Canada during the cold snap, and Toronto Police media relations officer Const. Wendy Drummond could not confirm the death of any homeless person in Toronto due to the weather.

Anyone found dead would undergo a post-mortem examination to determine the cause of death, she said.

Exposure has played a role in at least four deaths in the United States according to authorities cited by the Associated Press.

- With files from Canadian Press and Associated Press.