An extreme cold warning is issued by

Environment Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC; french: Environnement et Changement climatique Canada),Environment and Climate Change Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of the Environment ( ...

to inform the public about active or imminent severe cold temperatures in their region that are expected to last for at least two hours. As of April 8, 2014, Environment Canada replaced the

Wind Chill Warning A wind chill warning is a hazardous weather statement issued by local forecast offices of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States and previously by the Meteorological Service of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) when w ...

with an Extreme Cold Warning. In the older system a

wind chill Wind chill or windchill (popularly wind chill factor) is the lowering of body temperature due to the passing-flow of lower-temperature air. Wind chill numbers are always lower than the air temperature for values where the formula is valid. When ...

warning for

Southern Ontario Southern Ontario is a primary region of the province of Ontario, Canada, the other primary region being Northern Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada. The exact northern boundary of Southern Ontario is disp ...

and

Atlantic Canada Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (french: provinces de l'Atlantique), is the region of Eastern Canada comprising the provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec. The four provinces are New Brunswick, Newfoundlan ...

was issued when the wind chill dropped to -35. Thus a temperature of with no winds would not require a warning be issued. Under the new system the extreme cold warning is issued based on either the temperature or the wind chill being a certain value for at least two hours. The values range from in the warm temperates to in parts of the

Arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...

.Extreme Cold Warning
/ref>

Ranges for issuing an extreme cold warning

An extreme cold warning is issued when the following temperatures are expected to last for at least two hours, which different regions have different criteria for: *

South South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...

Central Ontario Central Ontario is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario that lies between Georgian Bay and the eastern end of Lake Ontario. The population of the region was 1,123,307 in 2016; however, this number does not in ...

and

Southwestern Ontario Southwestern Ontario is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It occupies most of the Ontario Peninsula bounded by Lake Huron, including Georgian Bay, to the north and northwest; the St. Clair River, Lake St. ...

issued at *

Southeastern Ontario Eastern Ontario (census population 1,763,186 in 2016) (french: Est de l'Ontario) is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottaw ...

, the

Southern Interior of British Columbia Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express, ...

, the

British Columbia Coast , settlement_type = Region of British Columbia , image_skyline = , nickname = "The Coast" , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Canada , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = British ...

and

(excluding Labrador) issued at *

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

(excluding northern Quebec) issued at *

Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is a primary geographic and quasi-administrative region of the Canadian province of Ontario, the other primary region being Southern Ontario. Most of the core geographic region is located on part of the Superior Geological Provi ...

(excluding the far north),

Central Interior of British Columbia Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and the

Prairies Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

(

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

southern Manitoba Southern Manitoba is the southernmost area of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Southern Manitoba encompasses the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region, Westman Region, Central Plains Region, Eastman Region, and Pembina Valley Region, as well as the Manito ...

, southern

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

) issued at *Far northern Ontario,

northern Manitoba Northern Manitoba (also known as NorMan or Nor-Man) is a geographic and cultural List of regions of Manitoba, region of the Provinces and Territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. Originally encompassing a small square around the Red ...

(excluding northeastern Manitoba), northern Saskatchewan,

Northern Interior of British Columbia Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

and

Labrador , nickname = "The Big Land" , etymology = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Canada , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 ...

issued at *

Northern Quebec Northern Quebec (french: le nord du Québec) is a geographic term denoting the northerly, more remote and less populated parts of the Canadian province of Quebec.Alexandre Robaey"Charity group works with Indigenous communities to feed Northern Quebe ...

(excluding Nunavik) issued at *

Yukon Yukon (; ; formerly called Yukon Territory and also referred to as the Yukon) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories. It also is the second-least populated province or territory in Canada, with a population of 43,964 as ...

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...

(excluding Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok),

Baffin Island Baffin Island (formerly Baffin Land), in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, is the largest island in Canada and the fifth-largest island in the world. Its area is , slightly larger than Spain; its population was 13,039 as of the 2021 Canadia ...

, and northeastern

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

issued at *

Nunavik Nunavik (; ; iu, ᓄᓇᕕᒃ) comprises the northern third of the province of Quebec, part of the Nord-du-Québec region and nearly coterminous with Kativik. Covering a land area of north of the 55th parallel, it is the homeland of the I ...

issued at *Northwest Territories (

Paulatuk Paulatuk is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It is located adjacent to Darnley Bay, in the Amundsen Gulf. The town was named for the coal that was found in the area in the 1920s, and the Siglitun spelli ...

Sachs Harbour Sachs Harbour (, ) is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Situated on the southwestern coast of Banks Island in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, the population according to the 2021 census count was 103 ...

Ulukhaktok Ulukhaktok (Kangiryuarmiutun (Inuit language) spelling ''Ulukhaqtuuq'' () and known until 1 April 2006 as ''Holman'' or ''Holman Island'') is a small hamlet on the west coast of Victoria Island, in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, ...

only) and

Nunavut Nunavut ( , ; iu, ᓄᓇᕗᑦ , ; ) is the largest and northernmost Provinces and territories of Canada#Territories, territory of Canada. It was separated officially from the Northwest Territories on April 1, 1999, via the ''Nunavut Act'' ...

(excluding Baffin Island) issued at

United States

In the United States an extreme cold warning was an experimental weather warning issued by the

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...

, and

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. The warning was issued if the temperature fell to or colder with a wind of less than . It was an experimental advisory for when the air temperature was dangerously cold, but the wind was too little to warrant a Wind Chill Watch or Warning. The Extreme Cold Warning was used from January 10, 2011 to April 15, 2011. It was discontinued beginning with the 2011-12 winter storm season. Only five Extreme Cold Warnings were issued in that period: one for

Burleigh County Burleigh County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 98,458, making it the second-most populous county in North Dakota. Its county seat is Bismarck, the state capital. The county was named fo ...

, three for areas outside of the

Bismarck–Mandan Bismarck–Mandan, colloquially referred to as BisMan, is the metropolitan area composed of Burleigh, Morton, and Oliver counties in the state of North Dakota. Its core cities, Bismarck and Mandan, are located on opposite sides of the upper M ...

metropolitan area, and one for

West Glacier, Montana West Glacier is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in eastern Flathead County, Montana, Flathead County, Montana, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census it had a population of 227. The town is at ...

In a partner webinar on October 30, 2018, the National Weather Service announced that based on survey feedback, the Extreme Cold Warning and the Wind Chill Warning will be consolidated into the Extreme Cold Warning, meaning that this product would once again be issued on a regular basis. This change was hinted to take effect sometime in 2021, accounting for NWS software upgrades.

Example

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Missoula MT
237 PM MST Sun Mar 3 2019

MTZ002-003-007-043-041800-
/O.NEW.KMSO.EC.W.0001.190304T0300Z-190304T1800Z/
West Glacier Region-Flathead/Mission Valleys-
Butte/Blackfoot Region-Potomac/Seeley Lake Region-
237 PM MST Sun Mar 3 2019

...EXTREME COLD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM
MST MONDAY...

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued an Extreme
Cold Warning, which is in effect from 8 PM this evening to 11 AM
MST Monday.

* TEMPERATURES...15 to 30 below zero, with local areas down to 40
  below zero.

* TIMING...Late this evening through mid morning Monday.

* IMPACTS...Local power outages and broken pipes are possible due
  to the extreme cold.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

An Extreme Cold Warning means that dangerously low temperatures
are expected for a prolonged period of time. Frostbite and
hypothermia are likely if exposed to these temperatures, so make
sure a hat, facemask, and heavy gloves or mittens are available.

&&

$$

References

{{SevWea nav, state=collapsed Weather warnings and advisories Meteorological Service of Canada Climate of Canada

Ranges for issuing an extreme cold warning

United States

Example

See also

References