Cold warning lifted as temperatures thaw ever so slightly
For bone-chilled Edmontonians praying for warmth, relief is finally here.
Well, sort of.
An extreme cold warning that has gripped the capital region for 14 days straight was lifted by Environment Canada Friday — but don't pack up your parka just yet.
Environment Canada said an approaching low pressure system, bringing a mix of cloud and snow to Alberta, will thaw temperatures "slightly" — the key word being slightly.
Cold warnings are issued when the temperature or wind chill is expected to reach –40 C for at least two hours. While Edmonton's forecast no longer fits that criteria, the cold is stubbornly sticking around.
A relatively balmy high of –19 C is expected Friday afternoon in the capital region but temperatures will hover around –26 C throughout the day. Biting winds will make it feel more like –40.
The most promising temperatures in the forecast are for next week. If the weather conditions remain unchanged, Edmonton may finally hit single digit cold on Tuesday, with a forecast high of –4 C.
In the meantime, hunker down.
Extreme cold warnings remain in place for a chunk of the province and wind chill values near – 40 will continue across Alberta Friday morning.
Here is Environment Canada's forecast for Edmonton as of 6 a.m. Friday.
Today:
Becoming cloudy this afternoon then periods of snow. Wind up to 15 km/h. High of –19. Wind chill of –33 in the morning and minus 26 in the afternoon. Risk of frostbite.
Tonight:
Periods of snow. Amount 2 cm. Wind up to 15 km/h. Low of –22 C. Wind chill near –30. Risk of frostbite.
Saturday:
Periods of snow. Amount 2 cm. Wind up to 15 km/h. High of –16 C. Wind chill of –29 in the morning and –23 in the afternoon. Risk of frostbite.
Freezing fun?
While the rest of the city was hibernating from the sub-zero temperatures, the Edmonton AM crew froze their heinies off, for the sake of science on Wednesday.
CBC Radio morning show producers Tara McCarthy and Clare Bonnyman braved the cold to conduct a few experiments.
They tested a very unscientific hypothesis — and proved that there is a certain kind of fun you can only have during a Canadian cold snap.
Using Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton as an outdoor testing ground, McCarthy and Bonnyman froze bubbles into icy orbs, threw some boiling hot water into the air, and prepared some freezies in record time.
What fun and cool things have you done to pass the time during this brrrutal cold? Let us know in the comments section below.
