Extreme cold warnings issued as frigid wind chills expected to hit large swath of Manitoba

Most regions of southern Manitoba and the province's far north are underextreme cold warnings forThursday evening, Environment Canada says.

In southern Manitoba, including the city of Winnipeg,wind chill values are expected to approach40 Thursday night,the weather agency says.

That warning covers all of southern Manitoba, except for the northern Interlake and the province'ssoutheastern corner. In the west, it extends as far north as the Porcupine Provincial Forest area.

In the far north, the Brochet and Tadoule Lake regions willsee a wind chill near45.

This is the second time this weektheprovince's south hasbeen under an extreme cold warning, which isissued when very cold temperatures or wind chill create an increased risk offrostbite or hypothermia.

Conditions are expected to improve by the weekend, with above-seasonal temperatures in the forecast for next week.

As of Thursday afternoon, the following areas wereunder extreme cold warnings:

• Winnipeg.
• Brochet.
• Brandon,Neepawa,Carberry and Treherne.
• Dauphin, Russell, Roblin andWinnipegosis.
• Dugald,Beausejour and Grand Beach.
• Killarney, Pilot Mound and Manitou.
• Melita, Boissevain andTurtle Mountain Provincial Park.
• Minnedosa andRiding Mountain National Park.
• Morden,Winkler,Altona andMorris.
• Portage la Prairie, Headingley, Brunkild and Carman.
• Selkirk, Gimli, Stonewall and Woodlands.
• Ste. Rose,McCreary, Alonsa and Gladstone.
• Steinbach,St. Adolphe, Emerson, Vita andRicher.
• Swan River, Duck Mountain andPorcupine Provincial Forest.
• Tadoule Lake.
• Virden and Souris.

Extreme cold brings an elevated risk of frostbite and hypothermia,Manitoba Health warns. Young people, older adults, people with chronic illnesses, those exercising or working outside and people who are homelessare at even greater risk.

Environment Canada advises watching out forcold-weather related symptoms, including chest pain, shortness of breath, muscle pain and weakness, numbness and discolourationin fingers and toes.