Extreme cold weather continued to dominate British Columbia and the Prairies on Jan. 14, with high winds and wintry conditions moving across Canada’s eastern provinces. Arctic air generated wind chill temperatures ranging from -40 to -50 C in parts of B.C., including Peace River and Prince George, according to Environment Canada. While temperatures in Metro Vancouver were expected to moderate later on Jan. 14, the Fraser Valley continued to experience wind chill temperatures feeling like -20 C through Jan. 15. Forecasters predict a slight warming on the West Coast throughout the coming week, with rain expected as early as Jan. 18 and the possibility of snow in Victoria and Vancouver on Jan. 16.
In Alberta, the severe cold led to high electricity demand, causing the province’s electric systems operator to issue a grid alert on Jan. 13. To address the situation, the province urged Albertans to conserve energy during the peak demand period of 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. As temperatures in Alberta were forecast to warm somewhat, a hazardous frostbite warning remained in effect, with highs of -24 C expected for Edmonton on Jan. 15.
Meanwhile, in Ontario, electricity provider Hydro One reported that crews restored power to over 100,000 customers affected by 500 outages caused by a Jan. 13 storm. Environment Canada also predicted more snow for some parts of Ontario on Jan. 14, with snow squall warnings in effect for areas like Niagara Falls and Bracebridge. On the other hand, the west coast of Newfoundland prepared for wind gusts ranging from 90 to 100 kilometers per hour.