SASKATOON -- The city remained under an extreme cold warning Monday after a bone-chilling weather system settled in over the weekend.
A high of -28 C is forecasted for Monday, with the potential for wind chills as low as -48 in the morning and -41 later in the day.
While the blast of freezing air may feel like a shock to the system after the milder temperatures the city has experienced in recent weeks, Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said it is not out of the ordinary.
"Very typical winter conditions here, we just haven’t seen these types of conditions yet so far this winter. We’ve had temperatures dipping to the mid -30s and combine that with a little bit of wind are our windchill values are getting into the extreme range which means frostbite can occur very, very quickly.”
Lang said where the air's origin is what makes it so frigid.
"Well as always the really cold air does come, straight from the Arctic, where long nights and no sunshine and mean a build-up of really, really cold air, Lang said.
In its warning, Environment and Climate Change Canada said temperatures are expected to "moderate slightly" Monday morning but the cold will return for a third night during the evening, lasting into Tuesday.
The weather agency is warning frostbite can develop within minutes and the frigid weather poses the greatest risk for young children, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, people working outdoors and those without proper shelter.
Environment Canada also warned against leaving pets outside.
The extreme cold prompted the city's school divisions to cancel bus service Monday morning.
