By paNOW Staff

Bitterly cold weather expected to linger: Environment Canada

Dec 28, 2017 | 1:00 PM

A blast of arctic air that plunged Saskatchewan into a deep freeze is expected to linger for several days. Environment Canada meteorologist John Paul Cragg said extremely cold temperatures are expected until at least Jan. 2.

“We have a ridge of high pressure sitting in Alberta and it’s just pumping Arctic air into Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We’re seeing highs of -25 C for daytime highs and -35 C for overnight lows with wind chills below -40 C,” Cragg said.

An extreme cold warning, issued by Environment Canada, is in effect for the entire province. 

At those temperatures, Cragg said exposed skin can freeze in five to 10 minutes. He urged people to limit their time outdoors.

Ironically, the bitter cold may be what’s keeping beds open at Prince Albert’s cold weather shelter. There are 10 cots available in the basement of YWCA’s Our House during the winter months, but manager Edna Bruce said they’ve only had six beds in use the last few nights.

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“There are times when people say it’s too cold to walk here from wherever they are…so they will sleep in whatever doorway or stairwell they can find for a while just to keep out of the cold,” she said. 

She added the number of people who take advantage of the cot program varies on other factors including when social service benefit cheques are issued.

CAA call volume up

The blast of cold weather meant a flurry of activity for roadside assistance in the province. As of Thursday morning, wait times for CAA Saskatchewan members ran between an hour and 90 minutes.

“Within the Prince Albert area, we have had about 200 calls for roadside assistance since Dec. 25. The majority of those calls were for battery assists and boosts and a couple of tows as well,” Director of Communications for CAA Saskatchewan, Christine Niemcyk said.

Niemcyk said drivers who are stranded take priority. The extreme cold and the extended wait times are even more reason to ensure your vehicle is full of gas and the battery is fully charged before you travel. Niemcyk said to be sure to plug your vehicle in any time the temperature dips below -15 C.

panews@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow