Arctic chill over north, central coasts of B.C.: Environment Canada

Environment Canada is warning people who live on British Columbia’s central and north coasts to dress warmly to avoid frostbite and hypothermia as frigid conditions are expected to persist this weekend.

Arctic overflow warnings are posted for the North Coast, including Kitimat and Terrace, and for the inland sections of the Central Coast.

The weather agency says high pressure over the B.C. Interior will continue to push Arctic air out towards the coast, creating wind chill values that could make it feel as cold as -20 C, that are expected to persist until Monday.

It has also issued an extreme cold warning for Chilcotin near Puntzi Lake, with wind chill making it feel like -40 C, according to the forecaster. The conditions are expected to last until Sunday.

On Saturday afternoon, a special weather statement was issued for the Stuart-Nechako region due to elevated pollution levels.

The advisory covers the town of Vanderhoof, due to high concentrations of fine particulate matter. The forecaster says the statement will remain in place until weather conditions change.

A wind warning is also in effect for Howe Sound due to northerly outflow winds of 70 km/h, with potential for gusts reaching 90 km/h.

Meanwhile, the City of Burnaby says in a news release that it will be closing the emergency warming centre it opened Thursday during the cold snap with the return of “more seasonal weather” in the area, though it will continue to monitor the situation and re-open the shelter if necessary.

On Friday, special weather statements forecasted a dusting of snow overnight for Metro Vancouver, but those statements have since been rescinded.

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