Deep freeze: Edmonton colder than North Pole and South Pole

Edmontonians sick of the teeth-chattering cold might consider taking refuge in the North Pole.

It's so cold in the capital region, it's actually warmer in the high Arctic.

In Edmonton, the temperature hovered around –30 C with a nipping wind which made it feel more like –37 C.

According to the latest forecast, the top of the world would be no colder than –20 C on Friday, with a wind chill making it feel like –31 C.

Even the South Pole — which is colder than the North Pole, even in the summer months — appears comparatively balmy, with temperatures expected to hover around –19 C for most of the day.

The cold moved in on Christmas Day and the deep freeze is expected to remain across the Prairies until the new year.

Extreme cold warnings from Environment Canada remain in place for most of Alberta.

The agency issues extreme cold warnings when very cold temperatures or wind chill pose an elevated risk to health, such as frostbite and hypothermia.

Things were so icy in Edmonton, it was deemed too harsh for even some of the city's most active winter enthusiasts.

Rabbit Hill Snow Resort shut down on Thursday and Friday because of the extreme cold.

Car and truck engines struggled to choke to life in the crisp weather, and the effects of the cold on Edmonton drivers could be measured by the current Canadian Automobile Association wait times for roadside assistance.

On Friday, drivers in need of a boost could expect to wait up to 16 hours for a full tow or battery replacement, more than 15 hours for a boost, or four hours for a locksmith.

Edmonton will get some relief from the cold in a few days. On Monday, temperatures are expected to rise to –9 C, and remain relatively balmy for the rest of next week.