Blast of extreme cold hits Quebec, prompting closures and postponements

Quebecers turned up their thermostats as a mass of frigid Arctic air settled over the province Friday morning. 

Extreme cold warnings are in effect across Quebec and much of Eastern Canada, with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) projecting that temperatures could feel between -38 C and -50 C with the wind chill, depending on the region, lasting through Saturday.

According to Environment Canada, it was -25.9 C in Montreal on Friday morning but the wind chill made it feel like -40 C. Further north, Kuujjuaq's recorded temperature was -35.5 C, but it felt like -42.8 C with the wind chill.

Cover up, the federal agency warns. Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill.

Hydro-Québec said it's preparing to face a historic peak in demand for electricity, one that is expected to outstrip supply by as much as 4,500 megawatts (MW), according to internal Hydro-Québec communications obtained by Radio-Canada. 

• Hydro-Québec expects record demand as extreme cold spell looms (new window)

As a result, the utility is intending to temporarily reduce its electricity exports and even pay a premium to import some power. 

It's also asking residents to try to reduce their use of electricity during the cold snap. Lowering the thermostat by one or two degrees, particularly in unoccupied rooms, can lead to significant energy savings, the Crown corporation said.

On the road, Quebec's Transport Ministry is urging motorists to adapt their driving habits as the cold affects the function of de-icing salts.

When temperatures are below -12 C, the salt loses its effectiveness, said  Roxanne Pellerin, a spokesperson for the Transport Ministry in the Mauricie region.

And when temperatures are below -15 C, the use of sand is preferred because the de-icing salts will not be able to do their job, she said, adding that tires can also lose their grip in extreme cold. 

Ski resorts closed, Quebec Winter Carnival postponed

In response to the cold spell, Ski Saint-Bruno on Montreal's South Shore says it will close at 4 p.m. Friday and reopen noon Saturday. 

Most ski resorts in the greater Quebec City area also announced closures or reduced hours of operation Friday.

The Mont-Saint-Anne, Stoneham and Massif de Charlevoix resorts will be closed all day, while the Massif du Sud will be closed both Friday and Saturday.

The Relais ski centre will close at 4:30 p.m. Friday and reopen noon Saturday, but all group lessons for the day have been cancelled for the safety of young skiers.

• Montreal homeless shelters brace for cold snap as freezing temperatures move in on city (new window)

The Quebec Winter Carnival is also postponing its opening by one day due to the extreme cold conditions Friday. 

Organizers said Thursday that they decided to postpone the event for the safety of carnival-goers, but also for field crews who would be exposed to dangerous cold temperatures.

Activities will therefore start Saturday at 10 a.m on the three main sites. The Electro Frette evening that was set for Friday has been moved to Sunday at 7 p.m.

The Limoilou night parade will still take place as scheduled on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

We continue to monitor the weather, but the cold snap seems to be quite short, so we want to maintain the parade for the time being, said Marie-Eve Jacob, the carnival's general manager, in a statement.

CBC News with files from Radio-Canada and CBC's Lauren McCallum