Edmonton is about to be the coldest it's been in over 50 years
Edmonton is about to be the coldest it has been in more than 50 years these next few days as temperatures in the city are set to further plummet with lows of -38Ā°C or below forecasted for Friday and Saturday, with the windchill potentially making things feel closer to -45Ā°C.
According to warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) Alysa Pederson, depending on the low this weekend, it could be the coldest temperature the City of Edmonton has seen since January 25 and 26, 1972.
ECCC
“If you look at what our current forecast is for the city, and of course, this is always for the city, because the airport does measure usually about three to 10 degrees colder in these cold snaps. The city centre hasn’t been even -38Ā°C since 1972.”
Pederson noted that temperatures will fall to -45Ā°C for those in rural areas, with the windchill hitting near the -50Ā°C mark.
The Edmonton region is currently under an extreme cold warning, and ECCC warns that the temperatures put everyone at risk.
“[Spend] as little time outside as you can. If you do have to be outside though, make sure to dress in layers, multiple layers, you know, have a base layer and then maybe a sweater and then a winter jacket on top of that,” Pederson noted.
“If you can have that outer layer be a windbreaker of sorts. A rain jacket could work, if you don’t have anything else. That’s like a windbreaker.”
Risks are greater for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working or exercising outdoors, and those without proper shelter.
Watch for cold-related symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness, and colour change in fingers and toes.
“If you are outside, make sure you have a place close by where you can go and get a little bit of time to warm up if you need to.”
Also, if it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.
Extreme cold warnings are issued when very cold temperatures or wind chill create an elevated risk to health, such as frostbite and hypothermia.