Wind chill could make it feel like –25 C outside on South Coast as Arctic air grips B.C.

The wind chill in some parts of British Columbia could make outdoor temperatures feel as low as –45 C on Wednesday as a mass of Arctic air grips the the province, according to Environment Canada.

Extreme cold warnings are in effect for most of central and northern B.C., with the wind chill factor reaching –40 C or even –45 C until Thursday.

"Frostbite and hypothermia can occur within minutes if adequate precautions are not taken when outdoors," the weather agency warned.

Even the southern parts of the province can expect an Arctic blast, bringing temperatures in the Interior 10-20 C below the seasonal average, and 5-10 C below average in coastal areas.

In Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Greater Victoria, bitterly cold Arctic air flowing from the Interior could make it feel as low as –25 C.

Environment Canada is also predicting flurries across the South Coast beginning Wednesday.

Concern for homeless people

The freezing temperatures mean some shelters are having to balance disease prevention measures with concerns about keeping unhoused people warm.

The Portal shelter in Chilliwack has already experienced a COVID-19 outbreak this year, but Bill Raddatz, executive director of the shelter's operator, Ruth & Naomi's Mission, said the first priority is getting people inside.

"We had to adjust the COVID rules because we felt it's better to have them inside and let them have the risk of getting COVID than perish outside in the sub-zero weather," he told CBC.

However, he noted that most of the shelter's clients have already received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, which should cut down on transmission.

In Vancouver, staff from the Union Gospel Mission have been out on the streets distributing blankets and other supplies to keep people warm. After a surge in demand during the fall that saw people turned away from the charity's shelter, staff have also converted space in a classroom into shelter space, bringing the capacity to 92 beds, according to spokesperson Jeremy Hunka.

James Harry, a Haisla outreach worker on the city's Downtown Eastside, said he worries about people who prefer to stay overnight on the street than in a shelter.

"They don't feel comfortable and they don't feel safe," he told Stephen Quinn, host of CBC's The Early Edition, Wednesday morning.

Harry said it is survival mode for those on the streets during this weather, and a big fear for him is that sometimes when people are using drugs, they are not cognizant of the potentially deadly cold.

"Until that drug wears off, they don't realize the severity," he said.

Further north, the extreme cold has already led to the death of one woman who succumbed to exposure on her way home from a neighbour's house in Dawson Creek.

In Fort St. John, outreach workers have put out a call for new tuques, gloves and socks to be donated for those sleeping outside, as used clothing cannot be accepted because of COVID-19 concerns.

To find a shelter in your area, call 211.  

BC211 is a British Columbia, non-profit organization that provides a free, confidential, multilingual service that links people to resources for help