Forecasters extend Yellowknife extreme cold warning

Yellowknife remains under an extreme cold warning for Monday, December 9, 2019, with wind chill expected to remain at around -50C until at least Tuesday.

Environment and Climate Change Canada issued an updated warning just before 4:30am on Monday, saying “a prolonged period of very cold wind chills is expected.”

Federal forecasters added: “Wind chill values near -50 will persist this morning. Extreme wind chill values will continue into Tuesday.”

The temperature without wind chill in the city is expected to creep up to -35C on Monday afternoon before dipping back down to around -40C overnight.

Extreme cold warnings were also issued for the Tłı̨chǫ communities, with Whatì residents waking to -41C on Monday morning. Wind chill was forecast to be below -50C in the community on Monday night.

Łutselkʼe was under an extreme cold warning overnight Sunday into Monday, but forecasts suggested the community would warm to -32C later on Monday.

In Yellowknife there is expected to be no let-up in the cold until Thursday, with most nights approaching a temperature of around -40C until then. By Thursday night, the low should be up to around -33, forecasts suggest, warming further to -29C for Friday night.

“Extreme cold puts everyone at risk,” read an Environment and Climate Change Canada statement. “Watch for cold related symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness, and colour change in fingers and toes.

“Cover up. Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill. If it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.”