Extreme cold weather hits Toronto with windchill temps near -20
Posted January 14, 2023 9:37 am.
Sunshine is expected to make a long-awaited return to the GTA this weekend, but you’ll definitely want to layer up if you plan on getting outdoors to enjoy the clear skies.
The City of Toronto is under its first extreme cold weather alert of the year with windchill temperatures hitting the negative double digits.
Environment Canada is calling for a windchill of -19 on Saturday morning with a high near -6 C expected.
‘We’ve been very spoiled when it comes to temperatures, it’s been quite mild,” says CityNews weather specialist Denise Andreacchi. “We’ve started to tap in to a colder air mass to the north.
The City of Toronto announced it would open three warming centres on Friday to give those who are vulnerable and may be experiencing homelessness a safe indoor and warm place to rest as temperatures drop. The centres are located at the Scarborough Civic Centre, Metro Hall and Mitchell Field Community Centre.
Calls have been growing for the city to open more spaces in its warming centres this winter. Earlier this month, more than 1,000 faith leaders sent a letter to Mayor John Tory and city councillors, demanding an emergency meeting about homelessness.
Andreacchi says temperatures will start to stabilize on Sunday, saying Sunday is the day to get out and take advantage of the long-awaited return of sunshine.
“Lots of sunshine Sunday,” she says. “It will be still be cool enough that you will want to be bundles but we won’t be in extreme cold territory.”
Sunshine makes a return to Toronto
Environment Canada meteorologist Peter Kimbell says it’s been the better part of a month since Toronto has seen a full days of bright skies.
“We have a sunny weekend in store, if anyone remembers what the sun looks like,” says Kimbell. “The last partly sunny day was probably the 29th of December.”
The last fully sunny day was Dec. 21. And the city hasn’t seen two consecutive fully sunny days since early November.
Finally ☀️ pic.twitter.com/hO1Uf0WV52
— Natasha Ramsahai (@CityNatasha) January 13, 2023
