An official with Environment Canada said Sunday that the temperatures reached in the Edmonton area Sunday night were the coldest in the country.
Peter Spiker, meteorologist for the federal agency said a record cold had been registered at the Edmonton airport: -46 degrees Celsius. With the windchill, the temperature was -59. He added that the previous mark was -33 in 1968.
Mr. Spiker, said record lows were also recorded in other parts of Alberta, including Cold Lake, north of Edmonton and Grande Prairie in the northwest of the province.
Environment Canada has issued wind chill warnings for areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan during the weekend, since a large arctic air mass hovering over the Prairies.
Alberta Motor Association has urged motorists to make sure they have thick blankets, warm clothing and a first aid kit if in their vehicles.
Pedestrians brave the frigid weather around 109th Street and 83rd Avenue as trees are coated with ice fog on Dec. 13, 2009. Sunday was the coldest Dec. 13th on record for Edmonton. Photo Credit: Ed Kaiser, edmontonjournal.com
You wrote “With the windchill, the temperature was -59.” This is not true, the temperature is the temperature. The wind chill is the wind chill. When there is a wind, you will cool off faster and you will feel colder as a result but the temperature itself doesn’t change.
that is true weather, but who cares it is still a record.
Typical news people, sensationalizing instead of educating! The temperature was NOT -59C, that was the windchill. There is a big big difference.
I don’t care what the wind chill vs. temperature was. IT’S STILL COLD!!!
I lived in Edmonton many years ago and remember waiting for a transit bus at 5 AM and with a windchill factor it was 65 below.