
If you thought last week was cold, we’ve got some bad news for you!
North America is now bracing for one of the most significant Arctic air outbreaks since 2014, as a polar vortex descends southward, bringing dangerously cold temperatures to parts of Canada and the United States.
The Weather Network just reported than an Arctic air mass originating in Siberia will soon sweep across the Canadian Prairies and plunge as far south as northern Mexico.
Bringing temperatures far below seasonal averages, the network is calling the incoming polar vortex an “unusual extreme cold anomaly” as it will effect such a vast stretch across North America, marking one of the most widespread Arctic outbreaks in recent history.
Wind chill values in parts of Ontario are expected to dip into the -40s and last for five consecutive days, posing significant risks for frostbite and hypothermia.
By Saturday and Sunday, temperatures on the Canadian Prairies and parts of Northern Ontario will drop into the -30s and -40s. Southern and eastern Ontario, along with much of Quebec, will experience their coldest air of the season Sunday and Monday, with overnight lows in the -20s for cities like Ottawa and Montreal.
In Toronto, temperatures at Pearson International Airport are forecast to plunge to -18°C on Monday night, with wind chills making it feel like the -20s.
American cities as south as New Orleans, Houston, and parts of northern Florida are also subject to the Arctic blast, pushing temperatures 10 to 15 C below normal for this time of year.
The network is advising anyone exposed to the elements to take proper precautions, because the dangerously cold conditions could result in frostbite on exposed skin in a matter of minutes.
Be sure to bundle up and stay safe!