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Environment Canada once again offered some hope to Saskatchewan residents Thursday.
The weather service extended extreme cold warnings for much of the province, but added: “A respite from this unusual cold spell should come on the weekend.”
The high-pressure system sitting over the Prairies is expected to move out of the province Sunday, offering people some reprieve from the frigid conditions as a result.
A low-pressure system is expected to briefly take its place before another ridge of high pressure sweeps in, bringing with it another round of brutally cold conditions.
Environment Canada’s Natalie Hasell said the weekend warmup is just “this little wave of warmth that comes and goes relatively quickly.”
“We don’t really see much recuperation in the temperatures until the beginning of the second week of January,” Hasell said.
By Tuesday, highs are expected to be in the -20s again.
By the end of that, Saskatchewan will have been under extreme cold for a little more than two weeks.
“This isn’t great at all,” Hasell said. “It’s still dangerous — which is why the extreme cold warnings are issued — however, compared to some years, I would argue that it’s not that bad.”
Meteorologists had suggested the cold snap would continue through the end of 2021, with a warmup possible on the weekend.
“An extremely cold Arctic air mass entrenched over the Prairies is bringing temperatures more than 10 degrees Celsius below seasonal averages to southern Saskatchewan,” read the warnings issued Thursday.
“Bitter wind chills of minus 35 to minus 50 will continue this morning. There will be a moderation of wind chills during the day today but some areas will have extreme wind chills all day.
“Bitterly cold wind chills should be expected Thursday night and into Friday. Frostbite in minutes will remain a persistent hazard.”
The weather service reminded people to dress warmly, to cover exposed skin to avoid frostbite, and to keep emergency supplies such as blankets and jumper cables in their vehicles.
Records toppled during deep freeze
Temperature records around the province have been no match for the cold.
On Monday, eight records were shattered across the province, followed by 17 more toppling on Tuesday.
Saskatoon didn’t see any cold-weather records broken, but Regina did. It reached -38.6 C Tuesday in the Queen City, breaking the previous record of -37.2 C set in 1884.