Extreme cold warning now extended to most of Manitoba, could bring wind chills as low as –55
Churchill, York regions under blizzard warning, says Environment Canada
Most of Manitoba, including the City of Winnipeg, is now under an extreme cold warning, according to Environment Canada.
A dangerous Arctic air mass that is gripping parts of British Columbia, and all of Alberta and Saskatchewan, is spreading east.
Parts of western Manitoba were already bracing for extremely cold temperatures. On Saturday, Environment Canada extended the extreme cold warning to more of the province.
The extreme cold, combined with winds between 15 and 30 km/h, will result in temperatures that feel like –40 C to –55 C with the wind chill through most of the southern half of the province, the weather agency said. Those conditions are expected to last until early next week.
Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin with such dangerous wind chill values, Environment Canada warns.
Regions added to the weather warning as of Saturday are:
- City of Winnipeg.
- Bissett, Victoria Beach, Nopiming Provincial Park, Pine Falls.
- Dugald, Beausejour, Grand Beach.
- Lake Manitoba.
- Lake Winnipeg, South Basin.
- Manigotagan Blake River Reserve and Hollow River Reserve.
- Morden, Winkler, Altona, Morris.
- Portage la Prairie, Headingley, Brunkild, Carman.
- Rural Municipality of Alexander, including Powerview, Pine Falls.
- Selkirk, Gimli, Stonewall, Woodlands.
- Sprague, Northwest Angle Provincial Forest.
- Steinbach, St. Adolphe, Emerson, Vita, Richer.
- Whiteshell, Lac du Bonnet, Pinawa.
On Friday, the national weather agency issued extreme cold warnings for parts of western Manitoba, including Brandon.
Northern Manitobans brace for blizzard conditions
Meanwhile, extreme cold warnings ended for some regions of northern Manitoba:
- Gillam.
- Norway House, Cross Lake, Wabowden.
- Island Lake, Oxford House, Gods Lake.
- Shamattawa.
- Tadoule Lake.
- Thompson, Nelson House, Split Lake.
However, the Churchill and York regions are now under a blizzard warning, Environment Canada said Saturday.
Those regions can expect whiteout conditions beginning Sunday afternoon, with poor visibility and blowing snow with wind gusts of 70 to 80 km/h until Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
Visibility could be reduced to near zero, and Environment Canada recommends against any travel in the area.
You can find a full list of communities that are under weather alerts here.