Cold snap blankets B.C. as Arctic air brings extreme temperatures, wind

Meteorologists with Environment Canada are urging residents in B.C. to stay indoors this Boxing Day as wind chill values could dip below -20 C.

Environment Canada issued an extreme cold and Arctic outflow warningthroughout most of the province this holiday weekend, as Arctic air flows through the province's Interior,bringing strong and bitterly cold winds to coastal communities like the Fraser Valley, Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

Gregg Walters, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says while the bulk of the snow fellon Saturday, the Arctic air is expectedto stick aroundfor the entire week.

"It's certainly not record setting for as cold as it gets in Vancouver tonight, but we're looking at the overnight lows down around 11 C," Walters said."And it's going to be below normal for the next few days."

He said winds are expected to gust up to 80 km/h, especially in the Fraser Valley and Hope, which willlead to wind chill values dipping to 20 C and risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

"It's coming down from basically the B.C. Interior and down to the Fraser Canyon and then it comes out the valley from Hope and westward," Walters said.

Clouds are expected to roll in on Monday,which will help moderate temperatures, he said.