Alberta: Feeling cold as -50 with wind chill, extreme cold
Saturday, February 9, 2019, 2:32 PM - The extreme cold is continuing its icy grip on Alberta.
Temperatures with the wind chill will make it feel like it's between –40 and –50 in some parts of the province, prompting an extreme cold warning from Environment Canada.
"Some parts of Alberta should expect extreme cold conditions to occur in the overnight and morning hours through the weekend and even into Wednesday," the warning reads.
"Extreme cold puts everyone at risk."
At 11 a.m. MT Saturday, the coldest spot in Canada was –44oC at Hendrickson Creek, Alta. — just east of Grande Prairie — while the warmest spot in the country was Vancouver Harbour at 1.8oC.
Albertans are advised to keep an eye out for cold-related symptoms, including:
- Shortness of breath.
- Chest pain.
- Muscle pain and weakness.
- Numbness and colour change in fingers and toes.
The warning adds that if it's too cold for you to stay outside, it's too cold for pets to stay outside.
Here's what two of Alberta's major cities can expect (temperatures are without the wind chill):
- In Calgary, the forecast is calling for a low of –29oC on Saturday, –24oC on Sunday, –25oC on Monday, –23oC on Tuesday, –19oC on Wednesday and –20oC on Thursday.
- In Edmonton, the forecast is calling for lows of –29oC on Saturday, –23oC on Sunday, –25oC on Monday, –24oC on Tuesday, –23oC on Wednesday and –23oC on Thursday.
The lowest recorded temperature in Calgary on Feb. 9 was in 1939, when the mercury dipped to –41.1oC, and the record high on this date was in 1926 when it reached a balmy 14.4oC.
The record low for this day in Edmonton is –31.9oC set in 2008 and the record high is 10.1oC set in 2016.
Original story by Dave Dormer on CBC.ca.
