Extreme cold warning issued for Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia-Lambton

Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for Windsor-Essex, Sarnia-Lambtonand Chatham-Kent.

A cold air mass is expected to produce temperatures near -20 C overnight with winds form the west making the frigid weather feel closer to -30 C Wednesday morning.

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"Cold puts everyone at risk," stated the weather agency in its warning, which directed people to cover up to protect themselves from frost bit and to check on older friends, family and neighbours.

Extreme cold warnings indicated there is an increased chance of people suffering from frost bite, hypothermia or other health risks associated with the cold.

Cold snap will last all week

Thestubborn cold snap combined with a consistent windchill is expected to keep southwestern Ontario shivering until the new year.

Boxing day was among the coldest days of the year for the region, with the nighttime low bottoming out around -12 C, according to Environment Canada weather preparedness meteorologist Haizhen Sun.

With icy winds, thatfelt more like -22 C, Sun explained, adding the freezing temperatures aren't going away any time soon.

"From tonight until new year's night it's all going to be like this with a windchill near -20 C and the maximum temperature in the low teens," she said.

Large swaths of Canada were under an extreme cold warning Tuesday.

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Environment Canada warned parts of B.C. could see the mercury to-40 C with thewind chill.

Sections ofAlberta, Manitoba and allof Saskatchewan were also issued warnings, with Environment Canada predicting the cold will last until the end of the week.

A small vortex is forecast to blow over Windsor-Essex by New Years Day brining slightly higher temperatures and a chance for a few flurries.