New year begins with record-breaking cold for 4 Canadian provinces

MyNews: Driving through the icy streets of B.C. Watch as a motorist takes on the icy streets of Chilliwack, after a massive snow storm plummeted temperatures, leaving thick layers of ice.

It’s only the first day of the new year, but it’s already a historic one: Environment Canada has identified record-breaking temperatures in four Canadian provinces on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Temperatures in parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan plummeted to an all-time low on New Year’s Eve, while Ontario and Quebec experienced historic overnight low temperatures on New Year’s Day.

The coldest new record low-temperature was in La Grande Rivière, Que., where the mercury dropped to -48.2 C early Monday.

Meanwhile, extreme cold warnings remain in effect for parts of B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick on Monday.

Canada’s current cold spell is expected to be a “multi-day event,” according to Environment Canada.

The weather agency advises keeping your pets indoors and avoiding prolonged periods of time outside.