Residents in the London area are being advised to stay indoors and keep warm as an arctic air mass brings a deep freeze, marking the coldest weather of the season so far.
Environment Canada issued yellow cold weather warnings early Friday afternoon, indicating that these frigid conditions would persist into Saturday morning.
Wind chill values were forecasted to be around -28 C throughout Friday, and overnight into Saturday morning, it could feel as low as -32 C, according to the national weather agency.
“This is a cold air mass that we haven’t seen since around February 2023, so it’s been a couple of winters since we’ve seen cold like this,” said Eric Tomlinson, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
By Friday afternoon, most of southern Ontario was under yellow cold warnings. While cold temperatures are expected to last through the weekend, Environment Canada noted that wind chill values would rise from -31 C on Saturday morning to -16 C later in the day.
An extreme cold alert previously issued by The Middlesex-London Health Unit has now been extended until Sunday, health officials reported.
“This cold air, yes, it is somewhat related to the polar vortex,” Tomlinson explained.
“The polar vortex is always present throughout the year, and sometimes during winter you can have specific atmospheric patterns that cause it to shift southward. That’s what brings that colder air down south over our region; that’s what’s happening this weekend.”
A similar arctic air mass has led to more severe orange cold warnings in western Canada, where wind chill values are expected between -40 C and -45 C in southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, while northern parts of those provinces could see temperatures between -45 C and -50 C along with northern Ontario.
The northern Saskatchewan community of Uranium City was reported as the coldest place in Canada early Friday afternoon at a temperature of -38 C without considering wind chill effects.
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A person trudges through the cold and snow along Clarence Street near Victoria Park in downtown London, Ont. on Jan. 21, 2026. (Matthew Trevithick/CBC)
Northern areas close to London in Huron and Perth counties were also under yellow snow squall warnings on Friday afternoon. Snow squalls were expected throughout the day and evening alongside gusty winds reaching up to 60 km/h causing blowing snow.
A number of roads in both counties were closed on Friday due to poor weather conditions including Hwy. 23 north from Hwy. 7 towards Listowel area and Hwy. 4 north from Exeter. Additionally, Hwy. 8 was shut down from west side Stratford all the way to Goderich.
“Those snow squalls will meander around; visibility may be reduced for areas all along Lake Huron’s eastern shoreline. The worst might be towards Bruce County,” Tomlinson said. Approximately 10 to 20 cm of snowfall was anticipated through Friday near London.
More snowfall is set for southwestern Ontario on Sunday when this southerly arctic air mass meets an atmospheric river pulling warm moisture-rich air from Gulf of Mexico-this system is predicted to disrupt several U. S states between Friday and Sunday.
At least 177 million people across America faced ice and snow watches or warnings while more than 200 million were under advisories or warnings for extreme cold weather conditions. Washington D. C., New York City, and Boston could experience up to about 30 centimeters of snowfall according to U. S forecasters.</pp
“As it moves northeastward-although most impacts will likely remain over U. S-we’ll notice some effects here across southern Ontario on Sunday,” Tomlinson stated.</pp
Risk of frostbite</h2
Everyone should be aware that extreme cold poses risks; Environment Canada stressed how dangerous extreme wind chills can lead frostbite developing within minutes on exposed skin.<pp
The symptoms highlighted by the weather agency include:</pp<shortness of breath</strong<chest pain</strong<muscle pain or weakness<strong<numbness or color changes in fingers or toes
“Check on older family members or friends,” urged their special weather statement.<pp<Outdoor workers need regular breaks for warmth while people should try keeping pets indoors if they can manage it.
