‘A bit of a shock’: Cold weather hits Calgary, temperatures could hit -35°C by Thursday
Posted Jan 8, 2024 10:23 am.
Last Updated Jan 9, 2024 9:26 am.
Environment and Climate Change Canada says last month was the warmest December in Calgary since data collection began 141 years ago.
Now, Mother Nature is showing Calgarians who’s in charge.
Temperatures have dropped to the opposite side of the guage, and snow has arrived in the city.
“There’s a lot of cold arctic air that’s going to plunge into southern Alberta,” explained ECCC meteorologist Marianna Greenoff. “Then by Friday, that really cold air becomes entrenched over Alberta, especially southern Alberta and you’re going to see those wind chill values probably around that -40°C mark.”
Unfortunately, it’s safe to say we knew this was coming.
Watch: Calgarians prepare for low temperatures
“It’s kind of long overdue and it’s not unexpected to see this kind of pattern happen through January and even into February,” Greenoff said.
If the cold weather is feeling even colder, Greenoff says, there’s a reason.
“These cold temperatures are definitely going to be a bit of shock because we’ve been fairly warm,” she said. “So, in terms of being acclimatized, we’re not really acclimatized for those extreme cold temperatures.”
Despite the extremely cold temperatures on the way, the weather agency doesn’t anticipate any records being broken.
However, it is a good time to make sure things are running smoothly inside and outside your home, according to Jim Mandeville with First Onsite Property Restoration.
“Look for things that look wrong, you don’t have to be an expert, if it looks wrong — if something is loose or flapping in the wind, or a different colour — it probably is wrong,” he explained.
And, as annoying as it can be, fixing small issues as they happen can be a way to save a significant amount of cash in the long run.
“If your kitchen faucet runs slow on a cold day, it’s a sign that there’s at least some partial freezing already going on,” Manderville said. “Spending a few hundred dollars today is going to be a dramatic savings in your life compared to having a major water damage incident down the road.”
Angus Reid data from November, which surveyed thousands of people across the country, found that Albertans are the most anxious about winter storms and extremely cold weather, compared to anywhere else in Canada.
“I think Albertans in the last five, ten years have really taken a beating from Mother Nature — whether it be the wildfires, or hail storms, or wind storms in the summer time, or extreme freezing events,” Mandeville said. “I think, really, people are just a lot more sensitive to that now.”
Environment Canada says there are not any massive winter storms on the radar, but Albertans should still be cautious about making any plans for travel next weekend.
It’s also important to bring emergency gear in the vehicle for any long drives.
