If you’re stepped outside in the last 24 hours, you’d know that the polar vortex has arrived!
As a result of a massive Arctic air mass from Siberia sweeping across North America, Ontario is in the midst of a deep freeze with absolutely bone-chilling temperatures, with some areas in the province experiencing conditions that feel colder than -50 C.
Most of the province has been issued extreme cold warnings by Environment Canada, lasting from Monday January 20 through Tuesday, January 21. Wind chill values are expected to make it feel between -30 C and -45 C in northern and central regions of the province.
While Toronto is hovering around -10 C, it feels closer to -20 C in the city.
This morning, Weather Now listed the top 20 coldest places on Earth, and among those, 18 are currently in Canada with 14 located in Ontario.
The coldest spot on the planet right now is Nagagami Lake, Ontario, where the temperature has plunged to an extreme -41 C.
Here are the other Ontario locations ranking as the coldest in the world:
- Chapleau: -40 C
- Kapuskasing: -40 C (feels like -49 C)
- Sandy Lake: -38 C (feels like -48 C)
- Dryden: -38 C (feels like -50 C)
- Pukaskwa: -38 C (feels like -39 C)
- Muskrat: -38 C (feels like -50 C)
- Sioux Lookout: -38 C
- Upsala: -38 C
- Pickle Lake: -38 C (feels like -52 C)
- Red Lake: -38 C (feels like -48 C)
- Marathon: -37 C
- Kirkland Lake: -37 C
- Big Trout Lake: -37 C (feels like -51 C)
Other parts of Canada are also under the grip of this polar vortex. Here are some of the other coldest places in the country:
- Stoney Rapids, Saskatchewan: -40 C
- Eureka, Nunavut: -39 C (feels like -52 C)
- Cold Lake, Alberta: -39 C
- Uranium City, Saskatchewan: -39 C
Environment Canada is advising residents to take proper precautions if they plan to be outdoors during this cold snap, and to watch for symptoms of cold-related health issues, including shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain or weakness, and numbness or discoloration in fingers and toes.
Exposed skin could be subject to frostbite in mere minutes, so be sure to stay safe over these next few days!