A significant part of B.C., including the Elk Valley and Kootenay National Park, is under an extreme cold warning, with officials noting the heightened risk of frostbite.
Wind chills could reach down to about -40 at night, warming up to -22 in the afternoon.
Daytime highs are expected to drop down to about -29 with overnight lows reaching about -36 in Kootenay National Park by the middle of the week.
In the Elk Valley, Wednesday and Thursday are expected to be the coldest days this week, with highs of about -23, dipping down to -34 overnight.
Cold temperatures are expected to hit the rest of the Kootenays as well, but a warning has not been issued for other parts of our region just yet.
Temperatures may warm up a bit by the Christmas weekend.
Environment Canada said this comes from an arctic air mass settling over the province, bringing cold temperatures and even colder wind chills.
You should dress as warm as you can if you head outside, and be aware of the symptoms of frostbite.
“Watch for cold-related symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and colour change in fingers and toes,” said Environment Canada. “If it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.”
