Extreme cold warnings issued for most of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

Environment Canada has issued extreme cold warnings for most of western Canada overnight Saturday, with temperatures forecast to dip to between -30 C and -50 C in many areas.

“The extreme cold warnings are in place tonight and into tomorrow as cold air from the north drops down over the Prairies,” said Global Calgary weather specialist, Courtney Stanfield.

In Calgary the mercury is expected to plunge to -30 C with the wind chill overnight on Saturday, more than 20 degrees colder than the normal temperature this time of year.

In Edmonton it will be closer to -40 C with the wind chill — almost 30 degrees colder than the normal.

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Temperatures in the -40 C range are also forecast for Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

According to Environment Canada, at those temperatures, frostbite can occur within minutes on exposed skin. Children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, those working or exercising outdoors and people without proper shelter are the most vulnerable to the cold, the weather agency warned.

In Regina and Saskatoon on Sunday the temperature is expected to stay around -40 C with the wind chill and dip even further overnight on Sunday, to about -50 C.

The normal daytime high for Regina this time of year is -7 C.

“Below seasonal temperatures will be in place until Thursday when the Arctic air moves east and temperatures warm up dramatically,” said Stanfield.

In Regina, the high temperature on Friday is forecast to be near zero.

In Calgary, chinook temperatures are in the forecast with highs next weekend that could be warmer than +10 C, well above the normal daytime high of around 0 C.

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