Alberta was visited overnight by Jack Frost, leading to extreme cold warnings across most of the province.
Environment and Climate Change Canada issued an extreme cold warning around 4 a.m. Friday.
“Today will be another cold day with temperatures well below seasonal and similar to what we’ve experienced all week,” said Tiffany Lizée, Global News Calgary chief meteorologist.
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So what is causing this flurry of icy air? Lizée attributes this to a polar vortex, which is an area of low pressure over the poles, and a trough in the jet stream that pushes cold arctic air into western Canada.
File: A chart explaining the Polar Vortex that caused the most extreme cold warnings in Alberta on December 2, 2022.
Courtesy: SkyTracker
The warning covered most, if not all, of Alberta with some places like Red Deer hitting -42 C in the early morning.
Read more:
Arctic air mass over much of Alberta prompts extreme cold warning
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Arctic air mass over much of Alberta prompts extreme cold warning
In a news release, ECCC said wind chill values will moderate in the afternoon, but extreme cold conditions could return overnight in some regions.
File: A chart explaining how wind chill is calculated.
Courtesy: SkyTracker
“There is some relief on the way this weekend for Calgary, with more seasonable temperatures on Saturday and Sunday,” explained Lizée.
The 10-day temperature trend for Calgary from December 2, 2022.
Courtesy: SkyTracker
Extreme cold warnings are issued when very cold temperatures or wind chills create an increased risk to health, such as frostbite and hypothermia.
People are advised to dress warmly by pulling up layers, and to remove several layers if they get too hot. The agency said the outer layer must be windproof to combat the wind chill.
Read more:
Recognize signs of frostbite and the dos and don’ts of treatment
ECCC said health risks are greater for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people who work or exercise outdoors and those without proper shelter.
File: A chart explaining the risks associated with frostbite.
Courtesy: SkyTracker
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