Extreme cold forces dozens of flight delays at Edmonton International Airport

A polar vortex gripping Edmonton and much of western Canada has caused dozens of flight delays and some cancellations at the Edmonton International Airport.

The airport issued 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 50 flights arriving in Edmonton were delayed along with a handful of cancellations, while delays for departures neared 40 flights.

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You can check your flight status here.

Our friends in Calgary are also experiencing similar issues, with WestJet stating on its Facebook page it is anticipating “proactive cancellations,” with plenty of delays and cancellations for the YYC airport.

Extreme cold warnings are currently in place for much of Alberta, Saskatchewan, BC,  and Manitoba, with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) calling for the Edmonton region that “temperatures ranging from -40 to -48°C, and wind chill values near -55°C” for Saturday and Sunday morning.

“Patches of dense ice fog are possible, especially near communities,” the ECCC noted, adding that temperatures and wind chills are forecast to warm up somewhat early next week.