Cold temperature records broken across Sask.

Cold temperature records broken across Sask. Cold temperatures smashed record lows across Saskatchewan's central and south regions early Friday morning.

Cold temperatures smashed record lows across Saskatchewan’s central and south regions early Friday morning.

Numbers from Environment Canada show all cities south of and including Meadow Lake, and whose records date back at least 25 years, reached record-low temperatures.

Saskatoon’s and Regina’s previous records, both of -20 C, broke when thermometers reached -23.3 C in both cities. Prince Albert’s old record low, of -19.5 C, was beat with a -20.3 C reading. A -22.1 C temperature in Lloydminster broke the city’s previous record, set in 1982, of -17.4. And the record in Moose Jaw, -13.9 C set in 1975, was smashed with a -20 C reading.

Estevan, Weyburn and Melfort also saw record lows. Data for other cities, including North Battleford and Swift Current, does not date back further than 12 years.

A polar vortex is to blame for the cold snap, Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillips said earlier this month. Cold temperatures could last through to the end of April.