Toronto remains under extreme cold weather alert as city faces frigid week

Environment Canada is predictingan extremely cold week for Toronto with a low of 20 C and a windchill value of 29in the forecast for Wednesday.

The city continued on Tuesdayto be under an extreme cold weather alert that was issued by Toronto Public Health on Monday.Extreme cold weather alerts are typically issued when temperatures reach -15 C or colder, or thewind chill is-20or colder.

Residents planning a night out on Boxing Day should bundle up as temperatures are expected to dropto a low of-17C, with a wind chill of -25.

HaizhenSun, severe weathermeteorologistfor Environment Canada, based in Toronto, said Tuesday that a cold Arctic air mass is stationed over the entire province, bringing the extremely cold air.

The agency, however, has notissued an extreme cold weather warning for Toronto yet.

"Generally, there'll be very cold air, but on the good side, thereisn'tmuch snow on the way," she said.

"Cover up. Frosbite can develop within minutes. Stay warm."

Sun said the week ahead for Toronto will be quite cold with temperatures well below the freezing mark. Wednesday night, in particular, will be extremely cold and she said it's possible the agency will issue an extreme cold warning for the city that night.

She said the agency is predicting a high of 10 C on Wednesday, with a low of 20 C, and a windchill value of around 29. On Thursday, the high is forecast to be 14C with a low of 19C. On Friday, the high is expected to 13 C, with a low of 16 C.

On Saturday,the high is forecast to be 13C, with a low of 16 C, and on Saturday, the high is expected to be 10 C, with a low of 16 C.

She said the windchill value has to be drop down to 30for the agency to issue an extreme cold warning for Toronto.

The city recommends that peopleheading out in the cold weatherdress in layers, cover exposed skin and stay dry.

Snow cleanup mostly completed

Toronto received a significant amount of snow onSunday eveningahead of Christmas on Monday.

In a tweet, the city saidlocal road plowing was completed at about10 p.m. on Monday nightand local road salting was completed on Tuesdayat about5 a.m.

Cleanup wasexpected to continue on Tuesdayon local roads until about 3 p.m.

On Monday, the city was under a special weather statement as the agency said brisk westerly winds were expected tocauseblowing snow, with exposed areas being particularly vulnerable.