A widespread and dangerous polar vortex is gripping much of Canada, bringing bone-chilling temperatures, heavy snowfall, and widespread disruptions to travel and daily life. Environment Canada has issued orange alerts across numerous jurisdictions, indicating a high likelihood of significant damage, disruption, or health impacts due to the severe weather.
Prairies
Saskatchewan is experiencing particularly frigid conditions, with many towns breaking cold weather records. Environment Canada warns that skin can freeze in under two minutes, and even a light wind exacerbates the risk. In response, Saskatoon has activated its winter emergency response plan, remaining in effect until Wednesday.
Ontario
Heavy snowfall is impacting Ontario, with up to 40 centimetres expected in some areas. Officials in Hamilton, London, the Greater Toronto Area, and Kitchener-Waterloo are urging residents to stay home. Over 60 per cent of flights arriving and departing from Toronto Pearson International Airport were cancelled between Saturday and Sunday, with an additional 10 per cent delayed. Environment Canada’s orange alert for the GTA warns of significantly reduced visibility and wind gusts up to 50km/h.
Quebec
Thousands of residents in Côte Saint-Luc, a suburb of Montreal, lost power on Saturday due to the cold snap. The Canadian Red Cross has opened an emergency shelter to assist those affected. As of Sunday morning, Hydro-Québec had restored power to 3,727 of the 13,368 homes initially impacted, with some customers potentially facing outages until Monday. Equipment failure and, in other areas, an unknown cause are cited as reasons for the power disruptions.
Atlantic Provinces
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro successfully completed ice removal efforts at the Bay d’Espoir power plant, the island’s largest generating facility. The plant had been forced to shut down for the first time since 1967 due to a buildup of frazil ice. While power warnings remain in effect, both N&L Hydro and Newfoundland Power are asking customers to conserve electricity and prepare for possible rotating outages.
The country’s capital, Ottawa, is forecast to receive up to 20 centimetres of snow, prompting a winter weather street parking ban from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on Monday. The City of Kingston has declared a “significant weather event,” advising residents to exercise caution and acknowledging potential delays in normal winter maintenance operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a polar vortex?
The article states that a polar vortex has blanketed much of the country, bringing bone-chilling temperatures and heavy snowfall.
What is an orange alert from Environment Canada?
According to the article, an orange alert from Environment Canada denotes that the agency believes severe weather is likely to result in significant damage, disruption or health impacts.
What is frazil ice?
The article defines frazil ice as a slushy mix of ice crystals suspended in water, which caused the Bay d’Espoir power plant in Newfoundland and Labrador to shut down.
As the polar vortex continues to move across the country, it will be important to monitor local forecasts and heed the advice of authorities. Will the current conditions lead to further disruptions in travel and essential services, and how long will these extreme temperatures persist?
