Extreme cold warnings continue as slippery roads close Highway 1 in southwestern Manitoba
CBC News | Posted: February 24, 2022 12:40 PM | Last Updated: February 24, 2022
Arctic airmass continues to hang over province as wind chill forecast in –40 to –45 range: Environment Canada
Most of Manitoba is again facing extreme cold Thursday morning along with the closure of a section of a major highway in southwestern Manitoba.
Westbound lanes on Highway 1 from Virden to the Saskatchewan border are closed due to slippery road conditions, as are eastbound lanes from Virden to Highway 21.
The entire southern half as well as the northwestern corner of the province is facing extreme cold warnings due to the same Arctic airmass that has kept frigid temperatures and bitter winds locked in the province for days.
Most regions in the southern half of Manitoba are expected to experience wind chill in the –40 to –45 range, where temperatures were in the –30 C to –34 range as of 6 a.m. Sections of the Interlake including Gimli faced temperatures in the –37 C range.
Temperatures in the northwestern corner of the province were in the –35 C range, with forecast wind chill of –45, Environment Canada says.
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.
- Brochet.
- Dauphin, Russell, Roblin and Winnipegosis.
- Dugald, Beausejour and Grand Beach.
- Grand Rapids and Waterhen.
- Killarney, Pilot Mound and Manitou.
- Lynn Lake, Leag Rapids, Pukatawagan.
- 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.
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 are warned to be mindful of 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.