Extreme cold set to linger across Sask. until Monday

The extreme cold in Saskatchewan is set to stick around through the weekend.

But the good news is, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Dave Carlsen, it appears to finally be on its last leg.

While windchills sat in the -40 C range early Saturday morning across the province, he anticipates the Regina and Saskatoon areas to start seeing a slight, gradual warm up in the coming days.

“By (Sunday) morning, we’ll be looking at windchills maybe touching -40 C, but more like -35 C, then a couple of days after that it’ll be between -25 C to -30 C,” Carlsen explained.

By Monday, he said a system from the southwest is forecast to help blow the brisk temperatures out of the province.

“We’re not getting a good push of really warm air, but slightly less cold air, and it’ll be just enough to push the really cold stuff out of the way,” Carlsen said, adding that’s when he expects the extreme cold warnings to begin tapering off.

He noted the warnings should begin lifting in the southwest. Northeast areas near the Manitoba border, Carlesen added, should expect to see the frigid temperatures linger the longest.

On Monday, Environment Canada forecasts a high of -17 C in Regina and -18 C in Saskatoon. While some Saskatchewanians might find it more balmy than what they’ve have grown accustomed to in the past week, Carlsen said it’s still around 10 degrees cooler than normal for this time of year.

Cold snap brings more record temperatures

The extreme cold continued to re write the weather record book on Friday.

Environment Canada says a dozen temperature records were broken, including Prince Albert.

The mercury hit -44.8 C, snapping the previous mark of -42. 8 C which had stood since 1899

Other records:

ASSINIBOIA
New record of -42.6
Old record of -38.5 set in 1994
Records started in 1916

CORONACH
New record of -46.5
Old record of -41.0 set in 1994
Records started in 1961

ELBOW
New record of -37.6
Old record of -32.2 set in 1959
Records started in 1945

ESTEVAN
New record of -41.2
Old record of -40.1 set in 1994
Records started in 1902

HUDSON BAY
New record of -39.2
Old record of -36.9 set in 1979
Records started in 1944

KEY LAKE
New record of -44.4
Old record of -43.5 set in 2001
Records started in 1977

LAST MOUNTAIN
New record of -43.0
Old record of -42.0 set in 1994
Records started in 1975

MEADOW LAKE
New record of -43.0
Old record of -42.7 set in 1994
Records started in 1924

MELFORT
New record of -39.2
Old record of -38.0 set in 1994
Records started in 1902

NIPAWIN
New record of -43.6
Old record of -39.4 set in 1939
Records started in 19285

WEYBURN
New record of -41.6
Old record of -41.0 set in 1994
Records started in 1917