Wind chills of -45 mean extreme cold warnings for almost all of Alberta

With temperatures hovering around the -30 C mark and the wind chill making it feel like -45, Environment Canada has issued extreme cold warnings for nearly all of Alberta.

"As the cold air continues slumping south, temperatures have dropped causing wind chill values to fall below minus 40 this morning. Wind chills will remain near minus 40 through early this week," it reads.

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"Watch for cold related symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and colour change in fingers and toes.

"Cover up. Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill."

The warning adds that when it's too cold outside for people, it's also too cold outside for pets.

In Calgary, Canada Olympic Park announced the ski and snowboard hill wouldbe closed on Sunday and Monday due to the extreme cold and wind chill.

Strathcona-TweedsmuirSchool and Calgary Academy announced closureson Monday due to the extreme cold temperatures.

And in Edmonton, the Ice on Whyte festival wascancelled on Sunday due to the cold, however, the Beer Stew Off at Situation Brewing is still set to go ahead.

Ice On Whyte is an outdoor festival featuring ice sculptures created by 10 local and international ice carvers, along with an ice bar. The annual festival in Edmonton is in its 16th year.

The extreme cold is expected to stick around for a few more days.

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In Calgary, the temperature is forecast to reach a low of -29 C on Monday, -20 C on Tuesday and -15 C on Wednesday.

The cold will stick around a little longer in the central and northern parts of the province. Edmonton is forecast to see lows of -29 C on Monday, -23 C on Tuesday, -24 C on Wednesday, -21 C on Thursday and -20 C on Friday.

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