Environment Canada has issued a wind chill warning for the Ottawa area as extreme cold and a brisk west wind combine for dangerously cold conditions Wednesday morning.
At 8 a.m., the temperature in Ottawa was -26 C and the wind chill -39 C.
The windchill is expected to ease later in the morning as the wind dies down and the rising sun provides some warmth. In such extreme conditions, exposed skin can freeze in as little as five minutes.
Wednesday is expected to be sunny with a high of -19 C. Clouds will roll in later in the day and the low Wednesday night will fall to – 29C.
Thursday should be sunny with a high of -20 C.
