Ottawa

Extreme cold warnings scaled back west of Ottawa

Extreme cold warnings ended Monday morning for many communities west of Ottawa. They remain only in the Deep River area of western Renfrew County.

Wind could continue to make it feel as cold as –35 in western Renfrew County

Someone in a white winter coat walks toward a legislature on a snowy day.
A pedestrian walks in downtown Ottawa during a snowstorm earlier this month. Places to its west such as Arnprior, Pembrokle, Renfrew and Bancroft had an extreme cold warning Monday morning. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

Environment Canada ended extreme cold warnings for many communities west of Ottawa late Monday morning. One remaining warning covers the Deep River area of western Renfrew County.

It could feel as cold as –35 into Tuesday in that region, the weather agency said.

It was –24 C at Garrison Petawawa at 8 a.m. with wind chill making it feel like –32 before the air started to warm.

The threshold for these warnings varies by region: in eastern Ontario, it's when conditions are expected to either reach or feel like –35 for at least two hours. Western Quebec's threshold is –38.

Ottawa's wind chill felt like –27 at its coldest so far Monday. At 8 a.m. it was just above –20 C at its international airport.

Its next two overnight lows are forecasted around –22 C plus wind chill.

Environment Canada issues extreme cold warnings when temperatures drop low enough that people can develop conditions like frostbite or hypothermia. 

People who leave the house should dress warmly and make sure as little skin as possible is exposed, the agency said.

Symptoms to watch for in the cold include a colour change in one's fingers and toes, chest pain, shortness of breath, muscle pain, weakness and numbness.

The agency also recommended checking up on friends, family, and neighbours and advised pet owners to keep their pets indoors.

Renfrew County's health unit says shelter is available at a 24-hour warming centre set up at 156 John St. in Pembroke.