Wild weather storms across Canada
Temperatures plunge in Manitoba, windstorms down power lines in B.C.
Manitoba settled into a dangerous deep freeze, powerful windstorms swept across B.C., and pounding snow caused a messy commute in P.E.I. as regions across Canada suffered through punishing wintry extremes Wednesday.
Here's a coast-to-coast look at the wild weather systems pushing through several regions.
Powerful winds down power on B.C.'s South Coast
BC Hydro crews worked overnight to restore power to thousands of homes, following a powerful storm on Tuesday evening.
As many as 8,277 households in the Gulf Islands, and 2,600 in Surrey and the Fraser Valley were affected.
- BC Hydro crews work overnight to restore power to thousands on the South Coast
- Snow expected Thursday night in Metro Vancouver
Residents in Vancouver braced for more snow and the chance of freezing rain forecast for Thursday evening. Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald also warned of a possible storm on Sunday.
"It's a pretty complicated pattern setting up for the weekend," he said. "We've got one storm coming in from the north bringing the cold air. We've got another storm coming from the southwest bringing heat and moisture and again it's going to be a clash of these two air masses."
Cold snap sends shivers over southern Manitoba
The bragging rights for the coldest place in Canada went to Wasagaming, Man., which recorded a temperature of –34.2 C at 8 a.m.
Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning alert for areas across the province, including Brandon, Neepawa, Carberry and Treherne. Temperatures dipped below –30C, which feels colder than –40C with the windchill.
The deep freeze is expected to ease by the weekend.
Thousands in Ontario, Quebec left in the dark
A freezing rainstorm caused power outages to homes and businesses across eastern Ontario and Quebec.
- Power outages persist for thousands across Quebec
- Freezing rain, snow cause power outages, downed trees in Ottawa, Outaouais
As of 11 a.m. ET, 57,000 Quebec homes and businesses were without power with the Laurentides, Outaouais and Monteregie regions being the hardest hit.
Heavy snow measuring 15 cm also fell in Quebec City, with another five to 10 forecast. Residents in Trois-Rivières and the Gaspé coast are bracing for a snowfall of between 5 and 25 cm.
Tens of thousands of hydro customers were also without power in Ottawa, neighbouring regions and the Outaouais, owing to freezing rain and downed tree branches.
"Yesterday [Tuesday] we had some ice on branches of trees, and the branches that broke touched the grid, so we had some power failures," said Eric Moisan, a Hydro Quebec spokesman, early Wednesday morning.
Low-pressure system causes havoc in New Brunswick
Residents in New Brunswick woke up to a mess of freezing rain, ice pellets, snow and strong winds Wednesday morning.
Motorists in Miramichi were asked to stay off the roads, owing to dangerous conditions. Ferry service to Nova Scotia was cancelled and delays were reported at the airport.
Crews worked to restore power outages to about 300 homes and businesses, most of which were situated in the Kennebecasis Valley and Sackville Port Elgin areas.
Winds to reach 90 km/h in P.E.I.
Officials closed public schools as powerful winds reached speeds of 70 km/hr by 8 a.m. AT.
Gusts were expected climb to 90 km/h later in the day. Snow and ice pellets later turned to rain as the temperatures climbed above freezing.
High wind warnings issued in Nova Scotia
Wet weather and strong winds doused much of Nova Scotia, causing some schools to close for the day.
An estimated 15 to 25 mm of rain is expected to fall along the Atlantic Coast, with a rain warning issued for Guysborough County.
Wind warnings have also been issued for the Sydney area for Guysborough, Richmond, Victoria, Cape Breton, Inverness and Halifax counties.