Frigid cold and extreme wind chills being felt across much of Manitoba

Manitobans are going to want to bundle up on Monday morning as much of the province is experiencing freezing temperatures.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), has issued extreme cold warnings for many Manitoba communities in both the north and south, including Brandon, Winnipeg and Thompson. 

According to ECCC, temperatures in the -30s combined with 10 to 20 km/h winds are bringing wind chill values between -40 and -50.

In the warnings for southern Manitoba, the weather agency says that the wind chills will moderate slightly during the day on Monday. It adds that some regions may be on the cusp of the extreme cold criteria on Monday night, with some communities seeing slightly warmer temperatures. However, by Tuesday night, the temperatures will dip back into the extreme cold range for southern Manitoba.

ECCC is warning Manitobans that everyone is at risk from the extreme cold. Residents are advised to watch out for cold-related symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, and numbness and colour change in your fingers and toes.

Manitobans are advised to cover up, as frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, and to keep your pets safe.

CAA CALLS

Amid the freezing temperatures this weekend, CAA Manitoba saw more call for service than usual.

On Friday, the association received 398 calls, on Saturday it got 483 calls for service, and on Sunday it received 608 calls. On a normal day, it gets about 350 calls.

According to a spokesperson, the majority of the calls this weekend were battery-related.

CAA expects to get even more calls starting on Monday as people head to work. Manitobans who park outside are reminded to plug in their vehicles, and to be patient with CAA.