Environment Canada warns of bitter cold and heavy snowfall across the country

Extreme cold weather continues in the Prairies, but some relief is on the way, while both coasts are set to receive some messy wintry weather this week.

Much of Alberta, Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba remain under extreme cold alerts, but Environment Canada says temperatures are set to rise throughout the week.

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Meanwhile, British Columbia could see freezing rain or ice pellets this week, while Newfoundland, Labrador, Quebec and New Brunswick brace for a winter storm or heavy snowfall.

Here's a look at the winter weather alerts across Canada:

'INTENSE' STORM SET FOR QUEBEC AND N.L.

Parts of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Labrador, as well as the entire island of Newfoundland, are under special weather statements or warnings as of Monday evening.

In Newfoundland, Environment Canada says it expects a "mix of wintry weather and strong winds" starting overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. Up to 15 centimetres of snow with wind gusts of up to 140 km/h are expected, creating conditions for blowing snow, in addition to freezing rain.

In eastern Labrador an "intense winter storm" is set to bring 15 to 30 centimetres of snow or more staring Wednesday afternoon until Friday, along with wind gusts of 70 to 100 km/h.

Similar conditions are expected in Quebec's Côte-Nord and Anticosti Island starting Wednesday. Much of the Gaspé Peninsula is also under a winter storm warning, with 15 to 25 centimetres of snow expected between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

In the Maritimes, snowfall warnings are in effect for large swaths of New Brunswick, with 15 to 25 centimetres in the forecast for Tuesday. Special weather statements are also in effect for parts of eastern New Brunswick due to freezing rain, with up to eight millimetres of accumulation possible. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia's Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne counties are under rainfall warnings, with up to 30 millimetres expected followed by snow, while Inverness county is also under a warning for strong winds of up to 110 km/h.

There are no alerts in effect for P.E.I.

SNOW SQUALL WARNINGS IN ONTARIO

Parts of northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario are facing snow squall warnings, with snowfall amounts of 10 to 20 centimetres expected from Monday morning into Tuesday and possibly Wednesday.

Some of the affected areas include the Niagara Region, the Bruce Peninsula, Manitoulin Island, Parry Sound, North Bay and Prince Edward County. Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding areas are set to face up 40 to 70 centimetres of snow, with possibly higher amounts by Wednesday. Windsor-Essex was also facing a snow squall warning, but has since been lifted as of noon EST.

"Snow squalls cause weather conditions to vary considerably; changes from clear skies to heavy snow within just a few kilometres are common," Environment Canada warns. "Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility in some locations. Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations."

Meanwhile, parts of northwestern Ontario such as Kenora had been facing the same extreme cold warning as the Prairies, with wild chill values near -40, but these warnings were lifted by 11 a.m. CST.

EXTREME COLD IN THE PRAIRIES

The extreme cold warnings continue in the Prairies, although Environment Canada says temperatures are set to "moderate" on Monday and Tuesday.

Albertans woke up to a frigid morning, with wind chill values at or below -40 in much of the province. However, temperatures on Monday are set to rise to -11 C in Calgary and -21 C in Edmonton with mainly sunny skies. Ice fog patches are also set to dissipate this morning.

"Many areas will see temperatures moderate today and tonight. However parts of northern Alberta are likely to see extreme cold conditions continue until later in the week," Environment Canada said on Monday morning.

In Saskatoon and Regina, wind chill values of -40 to -50 are expected until Tuesday morning, prompting an extreme cold warning that also covers much of Saskatchewan.

Extreme cold is also expected until Tuesday in communities in southwestern Manitoba, including Brandon, where wind chill values could reach -50.

LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM HEADS FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for large parts of British Columbia, including the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and parts of the B.C. interior as a Pacific low pressure system is set to land in the West Coast on Tuesday.

"The moisture from this system will interact with arctic air already in place over the south coast to bring a messy mix of rain, freezing rain and snow on Tuesday evening into Wednesday," the agency said.

The system will first bring snow on Tuesday followed by a "prolonged period of freezing rain or ice pellets overnight Tuesday into Wednesday morning," Environment Canada says. By Wednesday, the freezing rain is expected to change into normal rain.

Meanwhile, Prince George and other parts of northern B.C. are under snowfall warnings, with 15 to 20 centimetres of snow expected to start Monday evening. Much of the North Coast is also facing an arctic outflow warning, with wind chill values of at least -20 expected into Wednesday. Extreme cold warnings have additionally been issued for areas like East Columbia, East Kootenay, Elk Valley and Yoho National Park, with wind chill values of -35 expected.

SCATTERED WARNINGS IN THE TERRITORIES

Several communities in all three territories are also under weather warnings.

In Yukon, communities along the B.C. border are set to face a frontal system, which is expected to bring 10 to 20 centimetres of accumulated snow Monday.

The Yellowknife region in N.W.T. will see wind chill values near -50 Monday as well as patches of dense ice fog, but temperatures will slowly moderate by Tuesday. Other N.W.T. regions facing extreme cold warnings include Fort Resolution, Hay River, Lutsel K'e, North Slave, Thebacha and Tuktoyaktuk.

Blizzard conditions, with wind gusts of up to 80 km/h are expected in several Nunavut communities, such as Coral Harbour, Baker Lake and Arivat. Kugluktuk is also under an extreme cold warning, with wind chill values near -55.