An atmospheric circulation is expected to bring frigid northern air to parts of Canada, meaning much of Saskatchewan and Manitoba are under severe orange cold warnings.
The cold air is heading east from the Prairies, but it had previously come from farther north.
“As far as where that air mass is coming from, there’s actually a blocking pattern currently over Alaska and into Greenland,” Environment Canada meteorologist Eric Tomlinson told CTV News Channel on Thursday, adding “that’s where that atmospheric circulation is able to bring us some of that cold air down south through the Prairies and other parts of Canada.”
Both the Prairies and northern Ontario are under orange weather warnings from Environment Canada, as a “multi-day episode of very cold wind chills continues.” Wind chills values are ,” which are expected to range between -40 and -50.
Otherwise, most of Ontario is under a yellow, hazardous weather warning for cold running into the weekend, with wind chill ranging from -30 to -45 . In southern Ontario, Environment Canada warns of “periods of near-zero visibility” from blowing snow.
“There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic. Road closures are possible,” they said.
Southern Quebec is under a yellow warning, with wind chills expected to reach between -35 and -40 through the weekend to Sunday evening, while a portion of northern Quebec is expected to have wind chill of -45 and -50.
Eastern Alberta’s wind chill is expected to range between -40 and -45 , with only a yellow warning.
In Atlantic Canada, Labrador City and Wabush, Churchill Falls, and Churchill Valley are under orange warnings with wind chills reaching -40 to -50 from Saturday to Tuesday. Most of Newfoundland is expected to experience “gusty winds and cold temperatures” that will produce wind chills between -20 and -28, from Saturday evening through to Monday.
The Maritimes generally are under yellow cold warnings or special weather statements, with wind chills predicted to reach as low as -37 C over the weekend.
Environment Canada expects a winter storm to approach Nova Scotia on Sunday night, “the exact track of the system still remains uncertain, but the potential exists for significant snowfall across most of the province.”
All of New Brunswick is under a yellow warning for an expected “prolonged period of very cold wind chills,” reaching -30 to -39 C, running from Saturday morning to Sunday morning.
