Fort Smith joins Yellowknife under extreme cold warning

Five areas of the Northwest Territories are now under extreme cold warnings as Fort Smith and the Salt River First Nation joined Yellowknife and other regions on Tuesday night.

In Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Łutselkʼe, and Behchokǫ̀, residents were warned of wind chill in the region of -50C overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s advisory stated the “prolonged period of very cold wind chills” would “moderate on Wednesday afternoon.”

Overnight temperatures without wind chill were forecast to dip to -39C in Yellowknife and -43C in Fort Smith.

Yellowknife has been under an extreme cold advisory for three days and is still forecast to face two more nightly lows of -39C before temperatures finally lift – if only a little – to the vicinity of -30C on Friday.

“Extreme cold puts everyone at risk,” read the federal advisory. “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.”

Meanwhile, Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte remained under a snowfall advisory that had lasted for most of Tuesday.

“A long period of snowfall with total amounts of 20 to 25 cm is expected. Snow will continue tonight into Wednesday before ending,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada.

“Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.”