Residents in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent are being urged to stay warm tonight as it's expected to be the coldest night so far this winter.
Temperatures are expected to dip to -30 C (-22 F) with the wind chill overnight Thursday, prompting Environment Canada to issue an extreme cold warning for the region. The alert will remain in effect until Friday for Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.
Environment Canada Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Peter Kimbell says anyone hoping for warm weather soon is out of luck. "The beginning of spring is the 20th of March this year," says Kimbell. "We have five weeks to go until spring comes. Hopefully by then we'll get into the warmer weather, but it's not looking very promising between now and at least early March."
The coldest day on record for Windsor was set back in 1885 with a temperature of -26 C (-14 F) -- not including the wind chill.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit has issued a cold weather alert. The health unit is warning residents to protect themselves against hypothermia and frostbite. Warning signs of hypothermia include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. People experiencing frostbite may have white or grayish-yellow skin, numbness and skin that feels unusually firm or waxy.
