Glossary: Wind Chill across Canada

Wind Chill across Canada

Across the country, different criteria has been established to distinguish between the various wind chill ranges. The reason for this is because the threshold for cold varies across Canada. The federal government decided to group geographic areas of Canada with similar "cold thresholds" together.

The coldest wind chill on record in Canada was a bone chilling -78 recorded in Kugaarruk, Nunavut. Therefore for example, a wind chill of -25 in Southern Quebec would be considered noteworthy, whereas in Nunavut, a similar reading would be considered commonplace. The geographic areas and their wind chill ranges are outlined in greater detail below.

Geographic Area Wind Chill Rating Impact
Southern Ontario, Southern Interior B.C., Atlantic Canada (except Labrador) -25 to -34 cold wind chill, mentioned in forecast risk of frostbite
-35 to -49 very cold wind chill, warning issued frostbite in minutes
-50 or less extreme wind chill, warning issued hazardous frostbite condition
Central Ontario & Southern portion of Northern Ontario, Southern Quebec, Prairies, Central Interior and Northern B.C., Labrador -25 to -44 cold wind chill, mentioned in forecast risk of frostbite
- 45 to -59 very cold wind chill, warning issue frostbite in minutes
-60 or less extreme wind chill, warning issued hazardous frostbite condition
Yukon, Western NWT, Baffin Island, Northern Manitoba, Northern portion of Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec -35 to -49 cold wind chill, mentioned in forecast risk of frostbite
-50 to -59 very cold wind chill, warning issued frostbite in minutes
- 60 or less extreme wind chill, warning issued hazardous frostbite condition
Northern NWT, Nunavut and Nunavik -45 to -59 very cold wind chill, mentioned in forecast frostbite in minutes
-60 or less extreme wind chill, warning issued hazardous frostbite condition


To learn more about wind chill, please click on the links below:

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