Residents across most of southern Ontario – including the GTA – are being urged to bundle up, with an extreme cold warning in effect for the region.
Toronto currently sits at -13 C, but it feels more like -22 C with the wind chill.
The temperature is expected to dip even further overnight. While a low of -22 C is expected in the city, wind chill values of -30 C or below are expected. Similar temperatures are expected across much of the province.
“Extreme cold puts everyone at risk,” Environment Canada said in its warning. “Risks are greater for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working or exercising outdoors, and those without proper shelter.”
The agency advised those headed outdoors to dress warmly in layers, with a wind-resistant outer layer, and to cover up exposed skin to avoid frostbite.
Environment Canada also advised that pets should not be left outside in the cold.
The warning from the weather agency comes asan extreme cold weather alert issued by the city on Christmas Day remains in place. The alert triggers expanded shelter spaces and warming centres for the city’s homeless population.
With keeping a priority, Toronto Hydro was quick to respond to a power outage in Scarborough earlier Wednesday.
Power was restored to about 5,000 Scarborough residents after a brief outage in an area bounded by St. Clair Avenue, Birchmount Road, McCowan Road and Lake Ontario.
The outage was treated as an “emergency priority call,” according to Toronto Hydro. Power was restored to all customers around 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
The frigid temperatures are expected to continue into Thursday, with a high of just -13 C expected. Environment Canada said wind chill values will likely make it feel even colder, possibly lower than -30 C in some areas.
