Canada's capital plummets to a new (chilly) low
There was a chill in the air on Wednesday in the National Capital Region, with enough cold to establish a new, daily temperature record for April 9
Southern Ontario has seen some cold days this week with a shot of Arctic air having moved in. Toronto recorded a chilly Tuesday, and on Wednesday, it was Ottawa's turn.
Ottawa airport recorded a frigid -13.5°C on Wednesday, its coldest April 9 ever recorded.
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It toppled the -11.3°C documented in 1997 with ease. Wednesday's value even made it into its top six coldest temperatures in history for the month of April. Wednesday morning was the chilliest April day since 1983, when it dipped below -15°C.
Why was it so cold?
The reason for it was very cold arctic air that moved well south across Ontario. It is unusually cold for this time of year, especially when looking at Ottawa's normals: Maximum high of 10°C and minimum low of 0°C.
However, the next few days will still remain below normal, but definitely not as cold as it has been. The air mass is on the move and will move east, becoming more moderated in the process. Daytime highs will fall in the single digits with overnight lows hovering near the freezing mark.
The good news: A series of double-digit highs may be something to look forward to by the weekend, and beyond, as a warmer ridge moves in place of the chilly, Arctic trough.
Thumbnail courtesy of Getty Images/redtea/1219387245-170667a.
With files from Rachel Modestino, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.