Expected wind chills as low as –50 prompt extreme weather warnings for all of Sask.
Will McLernon | CBC News | Posted: January 12, 2024 2:11 PM | Last Updated: January 12
ECCC says extremely cold temperatures are expected to last until at least Tuesday
All of Saskatchewan is now under extreme cold warnings as wind chill values are expected to drop to –40 to –50 at times on Friday and through the weekend.
Most of Saskatchewan was under extreme cold weather warnings on Thursday morning. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued alerts for the rest of the province, including Regina and Yorkton, late on Thursday afternoon.
ECCC issues extreme cold weather warnings when temperatures or windchill create an elevated risk for frostbite or hypothermia.
Natalie Hasell, an emergency preparedness meteorologist for the national weather agency, said these extremely cold temperatures are expected to stick around until at least Tuesday.
"We'll have to wait and see if this forecast works out, but it does look like things should improve come Tuesday or Wednesday, at least for the southern and central parts of the province," Hasell told CBC news on Thursday.
Hasell said the extremely cold wind chills are a result of an Arctic air mass sweeping through the province. She added this is the coldest weather many parts of the province have seen this winter season.
The emergency preparedness meteorologist said it's important that everyone take precautions with the cold weather even if you consider yourself healthy.
She recommends trying to limit your exposure to these cold temperatures but said if you decided to brave the freezing weather, you should be prepared because skin can freeze within minutes in the current conditions
"We want people to dress warmly, dress in layers. Outer layers should be wind resistant,footwear should be waterproof and insulated," Hasell said
"Cover as much exposed skin as possible. Try to stay dry so that you don't lose as much body heat as quickly."
Hasell added it's important to have the winter necessities if you are driving in this cold weather such as jumper cables, warm clothes and a charged phone
WATCH| Extreme cold in the west means danger for people living outside:
Athletes adapting to the cold
Saskatoon Nordic Ski is welcoming the arrival of winter after a slow start to the season, despite the extreme conditions.
Daniel Fuller said he is planning to bust out the skis on Friday afternoon.
"I've seen a few people on social media have been out and getting moving," Fuller said on CBC Radio's Saskatoon Morning.
"So layer up and don't plan to be out for too long I think, and it's possible."
WATCH| California football players battle temperature shock during Sask. deep freeze:
The freezing temperatures are coming as a bit of a shock to the I.E. Mambas, a youth football team from Southern California that is in Moose Jaw for the Battle on the Prairies tournament.
Damien Mahoney, the team's coach, said playing in Canada has been a great experience so far.
"It's my first time in Canada, it's very beautiful. I love Canada, but I didn't realize how cold it was," Mahoney said. "Right when we were leaving California, they were getting a cold front. I got a call from my sister just now and she said it was 40 [Fahrenheit] and I said I'd take 40 over this negative."
Mahoney said the team didn't bring enough jackets and other winter gear on their trip up north.
"We actually had to stop by Walmart and the kids were getting gloves and the other stuff."
School bus cancellations
The bitter cold is affecting some school transportation in the province on Friday.
All school buses serving Saskatoon Public Schools have been cancelled for the entire day on Friday due to the extremely cold temperatures according to a social media post made by the school division.
Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools says it has cancelled its bus service on Friday for all students from pre-kindergarten to grade 8 and for high school students from Martensville and Warman who get bused to Bishop James Mahoney High School. Intensive-needs high school buses also won't run on Friday.
"School division policy is to cancel bus service in Saskatoon when the temperature, including wind chill, reaches -45," Derrick Kunz, a communications consultant for Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, wrote in an email.
Regina Public Schools have cancelled only its buses that use wheelchair lifts, with all other school transportation set to run as scheduled.
The school division is asking that everyone bundle up for the weather, and call the schools to report any absences.
The Conseil des écoles fransaskoises has cancelled its bus service for the École St-Isidore à Bellevue, the Écoles Beau Soleil et Mathieu de Gravelbourg and École Providence de Vonda. The school division has also cancelled its rural routes for Pavillon Monique-Rousseau and Pavillon Gustave-Dubois in Saskatoon.