FEBRUARY 17,2024— Don’t let the brilliant sun and blue sky fool you— it is cold out there.
Families are forced to huddle up inside this family day, as yet another extreme cold warning blankets the area. As a result, many of the day’s family day festivities will be cancelled and experts are warning people to stay inside if they can, particularly those with chronic illness, older adults and young children.
Temperatures will sit at around -28 degrees C this morning, with the windchill bringing it down to a bitter -35 degrees C, according to Accuweather. The afternoon will bring a slight reprieve, but not by much, with a high of -21 C and low of -31 C.
Thankfully, wind will be minimal, sitting around an average of 19km/h for the day.
The extreme cold warning began at 4:37 a.m., on Monday morning and is not expected to subside until 10:39 p.m. this evening. However, as most of our recent warnings are—that likely will be extended closer to this evening. Wind chill values in the broader area of Barrhead, Athabasca and Westlock region are still predicted to be close to -40 C throughout the early morning and again in the evening.
Conditions will hopefully moderate by mid-week.
Ensure you have the proper attire if you’re braving the cold—dress warm and in layers. It takes only minutes for frostbite to develop on skin exposed to the open air, and even faster with the windchill.
Remember: Protect the paws! If it is too cold for you to stay outdoors, it is too cold for your pets.
