Bone-chilling cold warnings sweep the country, forecasting lows near -50 C

By Canadian Press on January 23, 2026.

Bone-chilling cold warnings are sweeping the country this morning, with some regions expected to reach lows of -50 C with the wind chill.

Environment Canada has issued orange weather alerts for all of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, as well as most of northern Ontario, warning of severe weather conditions likely to cause significant damage, disruption or health impacts.

Residents in those areas can expect wind-chill temperatures between -45 C and -50 C ahead of a slow warming trend this weekend.

Meanwhile, the rest of Ontario and most of Quebec won’t see much relief today, as an Arctic airmass hovers over the region, bringing prolonged wind chill values between -40 C and -45 C.

It has been so cold in Toronto that extra outreach teams were dispatched to encourage people to seek shelter indoors.

Once the weekend hits, all of New Brunswick is expected to see temperatures between -30 C and -37 beginning Saturday, with the coldest temperatures expected in northwestern areas of the province until Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2026.

The Canadian Press