Southern Manitoba faces extreme cold warnings again Wednesday
CBC News | Posted: February 23, 2022 12:44 PM | Last Updated: February 23, 2022
Slight improvement during the day but cold descends again in evening, Environment Canada says
Southern Manitoba and some regions in the north are gripped by bitterly cold temperatures and biting winds for yet another day.
Manitobans faced extreme cold warnings early Wednesday, except for the northeast of the province, including Churchill, and a band of regions in the centre of the province, including The Pas and Flin Flon and east to the Manitoba-Ontario border. As conditions improved, the only warning that was still in effect in the north by early afternoon was for the Tadoule Lake area.
The warnings are a product of an Arctic air mass forecast to keep extreme wind chill blowing through Manitoba for the next couple of days, Environment Canada forecasts.
In northern Manitoba, temperatures hovered around –33 C early Wednesday, with wind chill expected in the –45 range and winds gusting up to 15 kilometres an hour.
Temperatures in the south hovered between –30 C and –34 C as of 6 a.m., with expected wind chill values in the –40 and –45 range.
As well, several stretches of highways 1, 2, 5, and 10 were closed in the morning but had reopened by the afternoon.
Environment Canada said while weather conditions would improve through the day, temperatures will drop again in the evening.
The following areas are under extreme cold warnings:
- Winnipeg.
- Arborg, Hecla, Fisher River, Gypsumville and Ashern.
- Berens River, Little Grand Rapids, Bloodvein and Atikaki.
- Bissett, Victoria Beach, Nopiming Provincial Park and Pine Falls.
- Brandon, Neepawa, Carberry and Treherne.
- Dauphin, Russell, Roblin and Winnipegosis.
- Dugald, Beausejour and Grand Beach.
- Grand Rapids and Waterhen.
- Killarney, Pilot Mound and Manitou.
- Melita, Boissevain and Turtle Mountain Provincial Park.
- Minnedosa and Riding Mountain National Park.
- Morden, Winkler, Altona and Morris.
- Poplar River.
- Portage la Prairie, Headingley, Brunkild and Carman.
- Selkirk, Gimli, Stonewall and Woodlands.
- Sprague and Northwest Angle Provincial Forest.
- Ste. Rose, McCreary, Alonsa and Gladstone.
- Steinbach, St. Adolphe, Emerson, Vita and Richer.
- Swan River, Duck Mountain and Porcupine Provincial Forest.
- Tadoule Lake.
- Virden and Souris.
- Whiteshell, Lac du Bonnet and Pinawa.
Environment Canada warns that extreme cold brings an elevated risk of frostbite and hypothermia. Young people, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, those exercising or working outside and the homeless are at even greater risk.
Manitobans should keep an eye on cold-weather related symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and discolouration in fingers and toes, the weather agency says.