What to know
- Toronto expected to see below-freezing temperatures this week, with wind chills as low as -23 and temperatures hitting -20 C.
- Environment Canada warned the cold poses health risks, particularly for seniors, children, unhoused residents, people with chronic conditions, and those working outdoors.
- The cold snap follows a record-breaking snowstorm that dumped over 50 cm of snow, making this January Toronto’s snowiest since 1937.
Beware of the cold, Toronto. The weather forecast reveals temperatures as low as -20 C in the city this week, following a historic snow storm.
Environment Canada had issued a yellow warning for Toronto Tuesday morning, predicting periods of extreme, below-freezing temperatures this morning, and throughout the week. The alert has since been removed by the weather agency as of publication, but temperatures are still expected to plummet in the city in the following days.
Torontonians woke up this morning to a high of -8 C, with wind gusts of up to 50 km/h making it feel like -23 this morning and -17 this afternoon. Combined with a chance of flurries, the wind is also causing local blowing snow.
The cold is expected to continue through the evening, bringing a low of -15 C with wind chills of -23 overnight, with a 40 per cent chance of flurries and local blowing snow.
Environment Canada warned that extreme cold could offer health risks for residents, especially seniors, children, people with chronic conditions, unhoused Torontonians, and those working or exercising outside.
Residents should watch out for frostbite and cold-related symptoms, including shortness of breath, weakness, chest pain, numbness, and skin colour changes.
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The rest of the week is not expected to bring temperature relief. Wind chills could gust between 20 km/h and 40 km/h on Wednesday morning, bringing a high of -10 C, which could feel like -23 in the morning and -17 in the afternoon. Cloudy weather also brings a 60 per cent chance of snow late morning into the afternoon. At night, the city could see a low of -14 C.
The cold front is expected to continue through the end of the week, with a high of -11 C and a low of -20 C expected on Thursday, and high of -10 C and low of -15 C on Friday.
EXTREME COLD COMES AFTER RECORD-BREAKING STORM
The extreme cold weather alert comes as Toronto still works to recover from a historic winter storm that covered the city with about 60 cm of snow on Sunday.
The storm led the city to declare Major Snowstorm Condition and a Significant Weather Event, and activate its Toronto’s Major Snow Event Response Plan (MSERP), as it tries to clear roads, sidewalks and transit routes.
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This month was the snowiest recorded in the city since 1937, according to Environment Canada, as the agency registered 88.2 cm of snow so far this year.
