Extreme cold causes flurry of flight delays and cancellations at major Alberta airports
A polar vortex gripping Alberta and much of western Canada has caused dozens of flight delays and some cancellations at the Edmonton and Calgary International Airports.
The Edmonton airport currently has an operational update on its website due to the extreme cold weather, stating it is “experiencing some flight impacts,” and encouraged people to check their flight status before arriving at the airport and leave extra time to get to YEG.
As of writing, more than 40 flights arriving in Edmonton Sunday were delayed along with a handful of cancellations, while delays for departures neared 30 flights.
The Calgary airport is also seeing a wave of delays and cancellations, with its flight schedule recording nearly 50 flights being delayed coming to YYC and more than 30 departing flights delayed.
Heading into the weekend Calgary-based airline WestJet stated the extreme cold was “affecting operations as temperatures drop below the threshold at which de-icing fluid is effective and rendering equipment such as bridges and fuel stations inoperable.”
Extreme cold warnings remain in place for all of Alberta and according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, with temperatures ranging from minus 35 to minus 45 degrees Celsius, with wind chills between minus 45 and minus 55.
Similar conditions are expected to return tonight, after some moderation in temperatures this afternoon, however, a reprieve from the cold is in the forecast.
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