These 5 Quebec spots are among the coldest places on Earth right now
Quebecers, grab your warmest coats — it's outrageously cold outside!
According to figures from WX-Now, a site that tracks the world's most extreme weather, five spots in Quebec were competing with some of the coldest places on Earth as of Tuesday morning.
With Arctic air blanketing the province on January 21, temperatures have plummeted to shocking lows. Here's a closer look at these freezing spots.
Chamouchouane, Quebec
Chamouchouane takes the cake (or popsicle) for the world's third-coldest place today, with temperatures dropping to a bone-chilling -40 C. For context, that's colder than Siberia. With no mercy from icy winds, frostbite can happen in just minutes.
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
Not far behind, Rouyn-Noranda is in a deep freeze with temperatures hitting -38 C. Calm winds might make it feel slightly less brutal, but don't let that fool you — it's dangerously cold out there.
Chapais, Quebec
In Chapais, residents face -37 C with scattered clouds and brisk winds adding to the chill. This level of cold makes staying outside for too long seriously risky.
Bonnard 1
This part of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean area matches Chapais with equally icy temperatures of -37 C.
Parent, Quebec
Parent rounds out the list, with the thermometer also reading -37. Fortunately, conditions have been listed as "calm."
Here's how the global top 10 rounded out on Tuesday morning, with the vast majority of cold spots being found throughout Canada:
- Alykel, Russia: -43 C
- Eureka, Canada: -40 C
- Chamouchouane, Quebec, Canada: -40 C
- Rankin Inlet, Canada: -39 C
- Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada: -38 C
- Chapais, Quebec, Canada: -37 C
- Parent, Quebec, Canada: -37 C
- Bonnard 1, Quebec, Canada: -37 C
- Timmins, Ontario, Canada: -37 C
- Taloyoak, Canada: -39 C
Why is it so cold?
While Quebec is no stranger to a brutally cold winter, these frigid temperatures result from arctic air masses sweeping across Canada. The polar vortex tightened its icy grip over the weekend, and Quebec is in the direct path of this frosty air invasion.
Quebecers could soon be in for a well-deserved warm spell, though.
According to The Weather Network's mid-winter report card, February is expected to bring a shift in the weather, with milder temperatures making an appearance during the second and third weeks of the month.
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