Frigid temperatures lead to cancellations, closures in Ottawa area - Action News
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Ottawa

Frigid temperatures lead to cancellations, closures in Ottawa area

With it feeling close to 40 in the wind today, several local ski hills have shut down and Winterlude has cancelled its first day of outdoor events.

Winterlude's outdoor events have been called off Friday

A downhill skier rides the lifts at Camp Fortune in Chelsea, Que. While Camp Fortune is staying open Friday with a few changes several other hills in the region are closing due to extreme cold weather. (The Canadian Press)

Frigid temperatures across the Ottawa region have led to closures andcancellations, affectingseverallocal ski hills and muchof the first day of Winterlude.

Environment Canada has issued extreme cold warnings for all of western Quebec and eastern Ontario, as a cold front that arrived lateThursday brings frigid winds through Friday into Saturday morning.

Ottawa, Gatineau, Que., and Cornwall, Ont., are expected to see temperatures at or below 30 C, with the wind chill making it feel closer to 40.

Friday was supposed to be the start of Winterlude, but the extreme coldhas forced some events to be postponed.

Organizers havecancelledall outdoor activities scheduled for Friday. LocalMPs Yasir Naqvi and Marie-France Lalonde were scheduled to kick off the festival in theafternoon, but that was cancelled too.

The launch of the festival's ice-carving competition has been postponed to 10 a.m. Saturday.

Ski hills closed, operations modified

The western Quebec hills at Edelweiss Ski Resort, Ski Vorlage,Mont Cascades and Mont Ste. Mariewillbefully closedall day Friday.

Mont Cascades said it plans to open Saturday but may modify its hours, whileMont Ste. Marie willreopen on Saturday morning.

Edelweiss is planning to stay closed Saturday, while Ski Vorlagehas not yet saidwhether it will return to operation.

Despite the bone-chilling cold front, some hills will be open for intrepid skiers.

Camp Fortune in Chelsea, Que., said it will modifyits operations Friday but will not be closing.

It said both Pineault Quad and Valley Quad will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., while Skyline Quad and Meech Quad will be closed.

Camp Fortune has also cancelled night skiing Friday but said operations will return to normal Saturday.

Skiers at the bottom of a ski hill.
Skiers are seen at the Mont Cascades resort in Cantley, Que., last month. The resort is closing on Friday due to the sudden cold spell. (David Bates/CBC)

Mount Pakenhamnear Calabogie, Ont., saidin an email that it will be open as normal Friday.

In other outdoor events, the Ontario Winter Games in Renfrew, Ont., are slated togo ahead without disruption.

The annual Nakkertok Trails Cross Country Ski Race, however, iscancelling races in all of itscategories Friday.