Extreme cold warnings issued for all three Maritime provinces
Extreme cold warnings are in effect in all three Maritime provinces, cautioning that the coldest air of the season is about to arrive in the region.
Extreme cold warnings are in effect for all three Maritime provinces.
Extreme cold warnings are in place for New Brunswick. Wind-chill values making it feel like -35C to -45C are expected to develop Friday afternoon and last at least into Saturday morning.
There is an increased risk of frostbite with the expected wind chill. Environment Canada notes that, “frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin” and that “outdoor workers should take regularly scheduled breaks to warm up.”
More on what wind chill is, and the health hazards it poses, is available here.
Predicted wind chill values by early Saturday morning are pictured. When the wind chill makes it feel -28 or colder, there is an increased risk of frostbite to exposed skin.
Extreme cold warnings are also in effect for Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, with Arctic air set to move in. This is the first time since 2015 that extreme cold warnings have been issued for Nova Scotia and P.E.I.
For both provinces, wind-chill values of -35C to -42C are forecast for Friday night into Saturday morning. Residents are advised to continue to monitor issued weather alerts and check on their forecast.
The frigid conditions are a result of a combination of wave of Arctic air breaking off the polar vortex -- a semi-permanent circulation of cold air typically positioned over the Arctic -- and the presence of a strong storm off the coast of Labrador.
The storm will create a pressure gradient across the Maritimes that will drive a northwest wind with gusts of 50 km/h to 80 km/h Friday night into Saturday afternoon, with wind diminishing Saturday night into Sunday morning.
A wave of Arctic air will break down across Ontario, Quebec, and into the Maritimes over the next 48 hours.
A returning southerly wind is expected, along with a mix of snow and rain for the Maritimes Sunday into Monday. That will result in temperatures moderating significantly during that time. In general, that means Friday afternoon and evening into Sunday morning will be the the coldest period forecast for the region.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime
Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defense lawyers said Thursday, making him the first former U.S. president to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the White House next year.

Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
'Nova Scotians' sense of safety was rocked': RCMP failures dominate inquiry's final report into 2020 mass shooting
A long list of failures by Nova Scotia RCMP leadership and policing systems dominate the final report into Nova Scotia's April 2020 mass shooting.
Meet the Canadian astronauts up for a seat on the Artemis II mission to the moon
This Sunday, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will announce the four astronauts that will be blasting off to fly around the moon for the Artemis II mission, one of whom will be a Canadian astronaut.
Gwyneth Paltrow not at fault for ski collision, jury decides
Gwyneth Paltrow won her court battle over a 2016 ski collision at a posh Utah ski resort after a jury decided Thursday that the movie star wasn't at fault for the crash.
Memes, ski etiquette and that missing GoPro video: Highlights from the Gwyneth Paltrow trial
When two skiers collided on a beginner run at an upscale Utah ski resort in 2016, no one could foresee that seven years later, the crash would become the subject of a closely watched celebrity trial.
Facebook users consume more fake news than users of Twitter, other social media sites: Study
When it comes to election misinformation on social media, Facebook takes the cake, according to a new study which found heavy Facebook users were far more likely to consume fake news than Twitter or other social media sites.
People may buy less alcohol when stores have non-alcoholic drinks on sale, study suggests
Researchers believe the availability of non-alcoholic drinks can help to combat drinking problems.
EXCLUSIVE | Security increased for prime minister's advisers after break-and-enter incidents
Ottawa Police are investigating an attempted break-in at the residence of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's national security adviser, the second such incident involving one of his top aides in recent months.