A person bundled up for the cold weather walks through blowing snow in Regina, on Sunday, March 3, 2024. White-out conditions across much of the Prairies has forced highways to close, disrupted flights and prompted the mayor of one city to ask anyone without a vehicle equipped with four-wheel drive to stay home. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Toronto is set to see near-record high temperatures today while heavy snow and extreme cold affect large parts of the Prairies.
Environment Canada says temperatures are set to reach the double digits in Toronto this afternoon, when the temperature is forecast to hit 13 C.
The highest temperature on record on March 4 for the city was 13.3 C in 1974.
Meanwhile, Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for parts of northern Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba, with up to 20 centimetres expected in some regions before tapering off this evening.
An extreme cold warning is in effect for large parts of Alberta, with wind chills of nearly -40 C that won’t substantially moderate until Tuesday.
Heavy snows and wintry winds grounded flights and closed highways across the Prairies over the weekend.
Environment Canada meteorologist Terri Lang said the hardest hit areas of Saskatchewan were in the west central region, including Saskatoon and through to North Battleford.
In Manitoba, crews are working to restore power after thousands on Sunday were left without functioning energy connections in Winnipeg and other communities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2024.
