Southern Manitoba faces extreme cold warnings again Wednesday

Southern Manitoba and some regions in the north are gripped by bitterly cold temperatures and biting windsfor yet another day.

Manitobansfaced extreme cold warnings early Wednesday, except for the northeast of the province, including Churchill, and a band of regions in the centre of the province, including The Pas and Flin Flonand east to the Manitoba-Ontario border. As conditions improved, the only warningthat was still in effect in the north by early afternoon was for the Tadoule Lake area.

The warnings are a product of an Arctic air mass forecast to keep extreme wind chill blowing through Manitoba for the next couple of days,Environment Canada forecasts.

In northern Manitoba,temperatures hovered around33 C early Wednesday, with wind chill expected in the45 range and winds gusting up to 15 kilometres an hour.

Temperatures in the south hovered between30 Cand34 C as of 6 a.m., with expected wind chillvalues in the40 and45 range.

As well, several stretches ofhighways 1, 2, 5, and 10 were closed in the morning but hadreopened by the afternoon.

Environment Canada said while weather conditions wouldimprove through the day,temperatures will drop again inthe evening.

The following areas are under extreme cold warnings:

• Winnipeg.
• Arborg, Hecla, Fisher River,Gypsumville and Ashern.
• Berens River, Little Grand Rapids, Bloodvein andAtikaki.
• Bissett, Victoria Beach, Nopiming Provincial Park andPine Falls.
• Brandon,Neepawa,Carberry and Treherne.
• Dauphin, Russell, Roblin andWinnipegosis.
• Dugald,Beausejour and Grand Beach.
• Grand Rapids and Waterhen.
• Killarney, Pilot Mound and Manitou.
• Melita, Boissevain andTurtle Mountain Provincial Park.
• Minnedosa andRiding Mountain National Park.
• Morden,Winkler,Altona andMorris.
• Poplar River.
• Portage la Prairie, Headingley, Brunkild and Carman.
• Selkirk, Gimli, Stonewall and Woodlands.
• Sprague and Northwest Angle Provincial Forest.
• Ste. Rose,McCreary, Alonsa and Gladstone.
• Steinbach,St. Adolphe, Emerson, Vita andRicher.
• Swan River, Duck Mountain andPorcupine Provincial Forest.
• Tadoule Lake.
• Virden and Souris.
• Whiteshell,Lac du Bonnet andPinawa.

Environment Canada warns that extreme cold brings an elevated risk of frostbite and hypothermia. Young people, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, those exercising or working outside and the homeless are at even greater risk.

Manitobansshouldkeep an eye on cold-weather related symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and discolourationin fingers and toes, the weather agency says.