It’s time to bundle up, if you haven’t already, Toronto.
The city’s medical officer of health issued an extreme cold weather alert Wednesday morning as wind chill values are expected to dip below -14 overnight and into Thursday.
The alert will remain in effect until further notice.
“Extreme cold weather alerts activate local services that focus on getting and keeping vulnerable residents inside,” a release from the city reads.
“Those most at risk of cold-related illness are people experiencing homelessness or those under-housed, those who work outdoors, people with a pre-existing heart condition or respiratory illness, elderly people, infants and young children.”
The alert makes additional services available to those looking for respite from the cold, including a warning centre at Metro Hall, which should open by 7 p.m. and will remain open until noon on the day the alert is cancelled.
Other services include availability of transit tokens at drop-in centres and additional overnight street outreach.
“People should make sure they are dressed warmly. If you’re doing activities outside, you should either reschedule or take breaks inside,” Toronto’s associate medical officer of health Dr. Christine Navarro told CTV News Toronto.
“If you know somebody who’s an older person, or infants, children, a person within a chronic condition or if a person is experiencing homelessness, make sure that you check on them, make sure that they are inside somewhere warm.”
Dr. Navarro said once temperatures drop past -10 C, people are at risk for hypothermia if exposed to the elements for too long.
She urged residents to stay on top of weather reports and get prepared for the cold months ahead.
“If you haven’t already, people should plan for the weather,” she said. “Make sure that your heating is working properly, keep your homes at 21 C and make sure that you have an emergency kit in preparation for any power outages that happen this winter.”
This is the second time in ten years that an extreme cold weather alert has been issued for the city in the month of November.
The city issued an alert on Nov. 10, 2017 when temperatures dropped lower than -10 C.
Environment Canada forecasts a drop in temperatures this afternoon, falling from about 0 C to -6 C with wind chill of -14.
Conditions are likely to worsen overnight, to about -19 C, with a 60 per cent chance of flurries.
Temperatures don’t let up Thursday with a high of -5 C in the afternoon, feeling more like -14 with the wind chill.
