Weather shocks: Parts of Canada just saw record-breaking temperatures
Canada is dealing with winter weather so extreme that parts of the country are actually shattering records that, in some cases, are over 100 years old.
According to the weather summaries by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Alberta is seeing some of the lowest temperatures on record in the province.
“A blast of cold Arctic air brought very low overnight temperatures to portions of Alberta beginning on Thursday,” reads the statement, which recorded minimum temperatures on Friday, January 12.
According to the summary, the coldest part in Alberta was the Hendrickson Creek Area, which saw a record-breaking low of -46.1°C — the old record was -40°C, which was recorded in 2005. Records in this area have been kept since 1995.
The Banff Area also just broke a 108-year-old record when temperatures dipped to -39.8, breaking the 1916 recorded temperature of -39.4°C.
In BC, the coldest place that set a record for the lowest maximum temperature was the Yoho National Park Area, where temperatures reached -30.8°C — the previous record was 28.3°C in 1971.
“The Arctic air mass is entrenched across the province and territory, setting many temperature records,” reads the statement.
Other places in BC that shattered previous records include Abbotsford Area (new record of -10.9°C, previous record of -9.4°C in 1950, Victoria Area (new record of -6.4°C, previous record of -3.3°C in 1971), and West Vancouver Area (new record of -6.4°C, previous record of -2.9°C in 1998).
In Saskatchewan, the coldest record-breaking temperature was in Leader, where the new record of -44.4°C just broke the 2005 record of -39.7°C.
Meanwhile, Watson Lake Area in Yukon just tied with a record set in 1968 when temperatures reached a teeth-chattering -49.4°C.
How cold is it in your area right now?
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