Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for many communities west of Ottawa.
It could feel as cold as –35 Monday morning, it said, and the dangerous cold could continue until Wednesday.
The warning starts at communities such as Arnprior and Bancroft, missing places such as Almonte and Carleton Place.
It was –23 C at Garrison Petawawa at 6 a.m. with wind chill making it feel like –30. Forecasted overnight lows there for both Monday and Tuesday are –25 C, plus wind chill.
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 has felt like –27 at its coldest so far Monday. At 6 a.m. it was –18 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.