Back to bone-chilling temperatures for southern Ontario.
Digital Reporter
Monday, January 12, 2015, 3:59 PM - Monday's near-zero temperatures will quickly make way for another Arctic burst Tuesday, which will produce windchills deep into the minus temperatures.a
The city of Toronto has issued an extreme cold weather alert, and Environment Canada has issued extreme cold warnings from Peterborough to London, encompassing most of the GTA aside from the city itself.
"A wind shift will funnel in colder air from the north, and drop those temperatures steadily throughout the evening," Weather Network meteorologist Brett Soderholm said early Monday. "However, conditions are expected to be fair, with decent sunshine on Tuesday and Wednesday."
Mild morning in the GTA (currently -2C); Falling temperatures this afternoon w/ brisk North wind; -8C by early evening & -18C Tues morning
— Doug Gillham (@gtaweather1) January 12, 2015
The sunnier conditions often associated with freezing winter days will be a scant comfort as temperatures in Toronto could fall as low as -16oC Monday night into Tuesday morning, with the wind chill making it feel closer to -24, with Hamilton feeling about as cold and Ottawa feeling little better.
Both cities are looking at Tuesday highs of -11oC, feeling closer to the negative mid-double-digits with the wind chill.
It'll be even worse in cities like London, Waterloo and Peterborough, which are all included in Environment Canada's extreme cold warning. Wind chills there will make temperatures feel like -30.
Temperatures will recover somewhat through the week to the negative single-digits, still feeling like -10 or below. But if you can hold on, temperatures will be back up to the zero mark by the weekend, and possibly creep into the single digits again in some communities.
"Saturday is our opportunity for a one-day warm-up," Weather Network Meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham says.
In the meantime, those frigid temperatures are dangerous to people who aren't prepared. Both the cities of Toronto and Hamilton have issued extreme cold weather alerts for Monday night into Tuesday.
#CityofTO’s Medical Officer of Health has issued Extreme Cold Weather Alert - in effect until further notice. https://t.co/JFzHPzLJjv
— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) January 12, 2015
Such alerts are issued when temperatures are expected to drop below -15oC, or feel like -20 with the wind chill, activating additional shelter options for the homeless.
Extreme cold alerts were issued in Toronto last week, and at least two people died after prolonged exposure to temperatures feeling colder than -20.
Environment Canada has the following tips on cold-related exposure symptoms:
- Respiratory: shortness of breath, wheezing and cough
- Cardiovascular: chest pain and arrhythmias
- Circulation: colour change of finger and toes, pain, numbness and tickling sensation in extremities
- Muscle: pain, stiffness, swelling, restricted movement, weakness
- Skin: itching, pale.
WATCH BELOW: Six hacks to help you deal with extreme cold temperatures.
