Blue skies during the day, and gorgeous sunsets do little to take ‘edge’ off this freeze

Prince George, B.C. –  Sunshine and blue skies across the region – that’s the glass is half-full view of the weather forecast, as a high pressure ridge that’s locked the region in a deep freeze continues.

Temperatures began to plummet on Saturday afternoon and much of the region is still blanketed by an Extreme Wind Chill warning through today and overnight.

In Prince George, Environment Canada is calling for a high of just minus-27 today, but with the extreme wind chill, it will feel like minus-43 – meaning frostbite can occur in just minutes.  The same holds true for Vanderhoof.  Quesnel and Williams Lake will also climb to just minus-27 today, which will feel like minus-41.

Further north, it appears Fort Nelson is the regional ‘hot spot’ with a high of minus-21 and no wind chill warning in effect.  Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, and Chetwynd are under wind chill warning – the temperature is set to hit minus-25, but it will feel like minus-47.

Mackenzie and McBride escape the wind chill, with highs of minus-26 and minus-24, respectively.

The picture doesn’t improve overnight, when the low will drop to minus-37 in Prince George.  Thursday is another cold one, with a high of minus-27.  Environment Canada is calling for periods of snow on Friday with a daytime high of minus-23, and temperatures continue to warm over the weekend, until a forecast daytime high of minus-8 on Monday.