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Flash Freeze & Windchill Warning – Peel, Halton & Hamilton

Flash freeze this morning & severe wind chill this afternoon, tonight and into Tuesday morning – Halton, Peel and Hamilton-Wentworth Regions

This morning we saw a flash freezing of surfaces as temperatures plunged quickly to well below zero, leading to suddenly treacherous travel conditions, and Environment Canada has issued a wind chill warning for Halton, Peel and Hamilton Wentworth regions.

Extreme wind chills from minus 35 to minus 40 expected to begin late today, and continue through tonight and Tuesday morning. Extreme caution is advised for people heading outdoors. Wind chills will improve slowly on Tuesday.

Exposed skin can freeze in as little as 10 minutes in temperatures of -28C and below. It is advised to dress warmly and cover any exposed skin as much as possible when heading outdoors: dress in warm layers, including a wind-resistant outer layer, and wear a hat, mittens and a scarf to cover exposed skin.

Don’t forget your pets! In the face of frigid temperatures, pet owners need to take extra measures. Assessing how long to let pets stay outdoors should be based on numerous factors including the animal’s breed, coat type, general health, and age.

Operations Update:

The flash freeze this morning created a thin layer of ice over all sidewalks and roadways.

Our removal crews were out last night plowing snow and slush, followed by the salt trucks. Given the small window of time between when the precipitation ended and the flash freeze began, the slush was freezing as we were plowing. We are continuing to salt periodically, however please note that salting and de-icing is ineffective in temperatures below -10C.

Please show extreme caution on sidewalks and roads!