Published on November 25, 2023 at 9:45 p.m.
Updated November 25, 2023 at 10:00 p.m.
Whether you love winter or not, it’s officially time to break out your coats. The polar vortex is weakening, which has a direct impact on the province.
The first -40°C in 2023 was recorded
Eureka, Nunavut recorded the first -40°C in Canada this season. On November 22nd, the first temperature below this threshold was -40.8°C. The more days passed, the colder it became. The next day, November 23rd, it was -41.8°C. The following day, November 24th, the temperature reached -42.1°C.
In the last four years, the first -40°C was recorded in Canada between November 18th and 22nd. In 2019, it took longer for the first -40°C to arrive, on December 4th.
Although Nunavut is in the far north of the province, this cold weather will soon be upon you. Prepare your coats!
What is causing this cooling?
These low temperatures are the result of a weakening of the polar vortex. This is then referred to as a weak polar vortex. In this situation, there are light winds in the air, allowing the arctic air to move.
The current situation (a weak polar vortex) is leading to more frequent injections of polar air. This descent of cold air makes its way into Quebec and causes temperatures to drop.
In the opposite case, i.e. in a strong polar vortex, the winds would be strong aloft, which would keep the Arctic air trapped and not diffused. This is the difference between a strong and a weak polar vortex.