P.A. residents try to stay warm in extreme cold temperatures. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

By Ian Gustafson

Frigid Weather

Prince Albert residents face unpleasant conditions

Jan 10, 2020 | 2:32 PM

Like other parts of the province, Prince Albert experienced extreme cold temperatures Friday.

According to Environment Canada, P.A. had a windchill of -40 C early morning and -34 C for the afternoon.

Meteorologist Terri Lang told paNOW frostbite can take hold very quickly, and this is one of the coldest days so far this winter.

“For the time being, it’s just going to be through the day today and we’ll see a gradual warming,” she said. “The temperature will start to come up overnight because we are seeing an approaching low-pressure system and that’s going to move in some cloud and some snow.”

Lang explained there is a risk of hypothermia.

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“If you don’t have to be outside please don’t go outside. If you do, dress appropriately; that means dressing in layers,” she said. “It’s the air between the layers that you’re wearing that actually insulates you and keeps you warm. The more layers, the better.”

She added the face, head and hands needed to be covered and appropriate boots worn.

It looks like the cold spell is here to stay and Lang said this is not unusual for January in Saskatchewan.

“We will see temperatures approaching more seasonal values for Saturday into Sunday but then we’re going to see a slow decline into the really cold temperatures for next week,” she said.

Along with the cold will come the snow. The city could see up to five fresh centimetres by the end of the weekend.

Wear layers

Director of Public Affairs for Parkland Ambulance, Lyle Karasiuk echoed Lang’s advice on dressing for conditions.

“Often people forget that we need to have to dress in layers. If you’re going to be active, you start with something close to the skin that will absorb the perspiration or pull it away from your body so you don’t feel chilled,” he added.

The next layer should be wool to insulate, followed by a wind or waterproof layer.

“Don’t forget the toque. We lose over 60 per cent of our heat from our head alone and certainly some good gloves or mittens,” Karasiuk said. “If you don’t have to go outside, obviously find a great movie on Netflix and stay indoors.”

Emergency shelter

YWCA Our House Manager Edna Bruce said the organization is running low on winter clothing to hand out, particularly when it comes to jackets and footwear.

“It’s really pretty sad,” she said. “I had a girl come in here the other day in socked feet. I have no idea what her situation was, but anyway she got sent over from another agency wearing just socks if you can imagine that in this temperature,” Bruce said.

While they managed to supply the woman with boots, Bruce said it was the last pair at Our House and they were too small for her.

As for the shelter, it’s been at capacity numerous times since the season started, Bruce said. There are 30 beds in the regular shelter, plus 10 additional cots in the basement for the cold weather program for people to come and go as needed.

Bruce said it can get so cold, some people would rather shelter in place than face the exposure of getting to their facility.

“Last night we were not full and what happens when it’s really cold like this people will sleep in doorways because it’s too cold to walk over here,” Bruce said.

She said she had six people waiting this morning and had 10 calls for people to live there but were only able to take three because of a lack of space.

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12