Published on January 14, 2024 at 4:47 p.m.
The extreme cold snap is breaking records in the west of the country this weekend. We recorded the first -50° of the year. The polar vortex is now moving towards Quebec. Luckily he won't hit that hard. Forecast.
Mercury freezes
Western Canada and the Midwestern United States have taken on the appearance of the North Pole in recent days. In Keg River, Alberta, the mercury literally froze and we had to resort to a different type of thermometer to measure -50.1°. In Kansas City, where the average temperature this time of year is around 5°, the mercury fell close to -25°. It was so cold on Saturday that quarterback Patrick Mahomes' helmet broke after a tackle during the NFL playoff game.
An overloaded power grid
In Alberta, authorities have urged residents to reduce their electricity consumption as much as possible. They seriously considered intermittent power outages to avoid overwhelming the province's power grid. At the end of last week, consumption broke a record of 12,384 megawatts. On Friday, Edmonton experienced the coldest day in its history. During the hottest part of the day, the mercury reached a high of -34.4°, surpassing the -33.8° mark set on January 18, 1996. The air was so cold on Saturday that weather satellites interpreted these subzero temperatures as clouds in the Height interpreted, but the sky was clear.
Snow in Louisiana
The cold is making its way to the southern United States. It could snow in cities like Jackson, Mississippi or Shreveport, Louisiana, where the average temperature in mid-January is around 13°. In Texas, freezing rain could cause major problems, especially for the power grid. Apparently there are no, or at least very few, snow clearing devices in these regions.
Soon in Quebec
This stream of cold air will slowly move towards Quebec over the next few days. Fortunately, the anomalies will not be as strong as in the west and south of the continent. Mercury is expected to remain below seasonal limits in southern Quebec between January 15 and 21. We should not exceed a deviation of 10° from normal. The thermometer should not show below -15°. However, the wind will add some spice to the cold. We can expect feelings near -20.
In collaboration with Alexandra Giroux, meteorologist