City crews clear the sidewalk along Police Point Drive in front of the Evangelical Free Church of Medicine Hat on Thursday.--News photo Collin Gallant
@MedicineHatNews
Medicine Hat and southeast Alberta emerged from “extreme cold warnings” on Thursday afternoon as the temperature in the city rose to the minus-teens, according to Environment Canada.
The day’s low was officially -29C, at 4 a.m., while gusting winds created a wind chill of -39C.
Sunny conditions and daytime highs above -20C are now forecast into the middle of next week, though overnight lows are still expected to fall much lower and a risk of frost bite and wind-chills in the -30C range can be expected for at least the next 10 days.
Rural power outage
About 80 power customers between Seven Persons and Elkwater were without electricity Thursday morning, according to line operator Fortis, after ice and snow built up on equipment overnight.
Power went out at about 6 a.m. and was expected to be restored in the late morning.
Smaller pockets of outages were also reported north of Bow Island and nearer to Elkwater.
Highway report
Most major and secondary highways in the region were considered bare, with the exception of partly covered No. 41, south to Elkwater.
An accident near Hilda was also reported to the Alberta Motor Association road report. HALO air rescue was dispatched at about 10 a.m.
The Trans-Canada Highway was reported clear to Maple Creek, though most highways in southwest Saskatchewan were partly or completely snow covered. Travel was not recommended on roads southeast of Swift Current due to reduced visibility.
