Northwestern Ontario could be set for weeks of extreme cold, says meteorologist

Ontarians in the northwest will need to strap in, as the current cold snap is expected to persist into early February.

With temperatures hitting lows south of minus 30 or even minus 40 with windchill, residents across the region will need to take increased care whenever they go outside.

Geoff Coulson, who works as a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says it’s normal for temperatures to reach such extremes in January.

However, he says that “having them go on for an extended period of time is somewhat more unusual. We usually at least see some breaks and returns to more seasonal temperatures.”

Coulson says that across northwestern Ontario, long-term forecasting suggests the cold snap may not offer much respite before February.

In such extreme cold, Environment Canada recommends dressing in layers, covering all exposed skin to prevent frostbite, and avoiding the outdoors.

Coulson recognizes that some people may have no choice but to spend time outside, in which case he recommends finding time to warm up indoors as frequently as possible.

Finally, Coulson advises that “it’s just a good idea for folks to stay on top of the latest forecasts from Environment Canada,” as a potentially warmer day or two would be an outlier, and could mislead people into a false sense that the cold snap is subsiding prematurely.