Extreme cold warnings remain in effect across northwestern Ontario, putting most vulnerable people at risk | CBC News

Extreme cold warnings continue to be in effect across northwestern Ontario, prompting warnings for people to bundle up and keep emergency supplies at the ready.

The warnings, issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada Wednesday morning, range from Kenora in the west to Atikokan in the east.

“Pretty much the entirety of the northwest, the exceptions being areas near the shore of Lake Superior,” said Steven Flisfeder, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.

“Thunder Bay is not currently expected to get that cold. Although [it is] expected to get cold temperatures — just not as cold as the rest of northwestern Ontario.”

Extreme wind chill values approaching -40 C can be expected Wednesday evening and overnight. While the temperatures are expected to moderate throughout the day Thursday, they could dip down to near -40 C at night.

“There is a very cold air mass making its way across from the Prairies … towards northwestern Ontario,” Flisfeder told CBC News on Wednesday afternoon. “That air mass is slowly making its way further east and south, and as it does so, it’s bringing those conditions across the area.”

If you do have to be outside for extended periods, make sure that you’re covering up as much as possible.– Steven Flisfeder, meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada

Young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working or exercising outdoors, and those without proper shelter are most at risk of harm from extreme cold, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

“You’re going to want to limit your time outside, and if you do have to be outside for extended periods, make sure that you’re covering up as much as possible,” Flisfeder said.

Many people still sleeping outside in Kenora

Yvonne Bearbull is executive director of the Kenora Fellowship Centre, a drop-in space where people can come for breakfast, lunch and a warm place to stay during the day.

She says the centre is seeing between 90 and 100 clients a day. On Wednesday, they maxed out both their meal programs due to high demands.

“We’ve gone beyond our capacity for people to be here, and sometimes we’ve had to do it just because of necessity,” she said. “It’s been a rough day for the people.”

The centre has seen a few cases of frostbite, and Bearbull says there’s not enough capacity in the shelter system to meet everyone’s needs.

“There’s a number of people that still are staying outside and coming here asking for blankets,” she said. “They’re very resilient and they’re very strong, but they shouldn’t have to be sleeping outside at this time.”

The centre is always looking for donations of winter wear, such as socks, tuques, mitts, long johns and winter boots, as well as snacks and monetary contributions, she said.

“We really appreciate people’s generosity at this time and it’s really made a big difference.”

Temperatures to warm up Friday

Flisfeder encourages people to wear layered clothing and to take breaks indoors as often as possible, “to help keep that body temperature as high as it can be.”

People are also advised to have an emergency kit in their vehicles if they’re travelling, which should include a thermal blanket, jumper cables, and a source of hydration. 

“Once we get to Friday, it will be a relatively warmer day, reaching about -15 C, which doesn’t sound warm, but compared to tomorrow, today and Thursday, it is a relative warm-up,” Flisfeder said.

“That warming trend will continue as we get to Saturday [and] Sunday, where we’ll be in the minus single digits, which may be a reprieve — although maybe not as much as people would hope for.”

More information about how to stay safe during extreme weather events and other emergencies can be found at getprepared.ca.