Extreme cold chills Quebecers to the bone

Quebecers are facing another bitterly cold day with temperaturesthat feel like55 C withthe wind chillin some parts of the province.

Environment Canada has wind chill warnings in effect across the province. A frigid 43 C in Chibougamaufeels like55 C with the wind chill factored in.

Residents of the Saguenay region faced a wind chill that feels like 46 C, which led local authorities to close outdoor skating rinks in Chicoutimi, JonquireandLa Baie.

Montrealers woke up to an early morning temperature of 26 C with a wind chill that feels like 39 C. Residents of Quebec City faced an equally bone-chilling day, with a high of 24 C that feels like40 C with the wind chill.

Medical officials are warning people to dress appropriately and minimize the amount of time they spend outside.

"In temperatures like this, somebody who's not dressed well can see their core temperature drop in less than half an hour," said Dr. Joe Nemeth, Director of Emergency Medicine at the Montreal General Hospital.

Montreals police department has tasked an extra team with keeping watch over Montreal's vulnerable homeless population during the period ofextreme cold.

Yet even those with homes werent guaranteed warmth against the cold Hydro-Qubec reported almost 11,000 customers without power around the province early Thursday, including more than 3,000 in both Chaudire-Appalaches and Laval. By 6 p.m. ET Thursday, there were still over 4,000 customers without electricity.

Hydro-Qubec issued a news release Thursday morning asking the public tolimittheir consumption of power during peak hours. Those hours are4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET Thursday and Friday between6a.m. to 9a.m. and 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Quebecerscould get a brief respite from the cold this weekend Environment Canada is predicting a high of 4 C in Montreal on Sunday.

Extreme weather in North America

Elsewhere in Canada and the U.S., bad weather conditions have meant flight delays and cancellations.

• Storm blasts northeastern U.S. with snow, frigid winds

Earlier on Thursday, more than 30 flights were delayed at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport,particularly flights to or throughChicago, Cleveland, New York and Boston. More than 30 centimetres of snow fell on some parts of the Midwest and Eastern Seaboard.

U.S. airlines cancelled more than 1,800 flights nationwide on Thursday in advance of the storm. Many were on regional airlines that handle shorter flights for the major carriers.

Airlines already have cancelled more than 500 flights scheduled for Friday.

Weather warning from Environment Canada: