Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for Peterborough County and Kawartha Lakes overnight on Friday (January 21) into Saturday morning.
A cold front will move from north to south over the region Friday evening. Minimum temperatures near -20°C combined with northerly winds up to 20 kilometres per hour will give wind chill values near -30°C for several hours on Saturday morning.
While temperatures will remain cold on Saturday throughout the day and overnight, wind chill values will begin to improve Saturday afternoon as winds decrease.
Peterborough Public Health has also issued a frostbite alert for the area.
Extreme cold puts everyone at risk. Watch for cold-related symptoms which include shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness, and colour change in fingers and toes.
Dress warmly in layers that you can remove if you get too warm (the outer layer should be wind resistant) and cover up exposed skin, as frostbite can develop within minutes, especially with wind chill.
Outdoor workers should take regularly scheduled breaks to warm up. Remember: if it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.
