Vehicles across Saskatchewan struggled to turn over Monday as temperatures plunged to -36 C.
With wind chill factored in, many places across Saskatchewan felt like -50. The past weekend has been the coldest weather of the winter.
Extreme cold warnings have been in effect across the province throughout the weekend into Monday evening. Most are expected to lift Tuesday when the province warms up for a few days.
Cautioning that such conditions pose risks to everyone, Environment Canada urges individuals to avoid extensive time outside and watch for symptoms of frostbite. Additionally, they remind residents that if it is too cold for individuals to stay outside, it is also too cold for pets.
Residents are advised to dress warmly and stay informed by checking local weather forecasts for updates on conditions.
The cold weather has meant lots of calls for Centennial Plumbing, Heating and Electrical. Operator leader Michael Shaw said they received over 100 heat-related calls over the weekend.
“When temperatures are fluctuating, new technologies kind of even it out a little bit. But most furnaces are going on and off and on and off and with that restart, there’s things that can break down,” Shaw explained.
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He said if your furnace doesn’t seem to be working, check your thermostat for dead batteries, then check the filter.
“If that doesn’t work, check outside to make sure that your vents aren’t blocked. And if that doesn’t work, we suggest you put on a sweater and make a service call.”
SGI Canada said there are things to watch on the outside of your house too, like frozen pipes bursting and ice damming.
SGI said you can use a roof rake to clear the ice in your eaves. And for frozen pipes, the key is to slowly warm things up.
“It might even be smart to turn off your water main, get that pipe heated up so that if it does crack or break, you’re not having water everywhere,” Jeremy Pilon with SGI said.
The cold temperatures have also been very difficult on vehicles. Astro Towing said they had over 400 calls for a battery boost Monday.
“We have about 60 to 70 waiting at all times,” Atro Towing office manager Rae Purdy said. “We are running extended duties of three to four hours for services.
“Just make sure your block heater is working and that it’s plugged into a working outlet. Make sure it hasn’t blown the breaker because sometimes that happens in your house without you realizing.”
Meanwhile, the City of Saskatoon said they have seen 16 water main breaks this month. Last year, there were 28 throughout January.
The city said breaks tend to occur due to temperature fluctuations and frost depths that can cause ground shifting.
The winter temperature roller coaster isn’t finished yet, as the next few days look to be a lot warmer for Saskatchewan.
The province should be back to single digits starting Tuesday.
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