Frigid weather persists in British Columbia as low temperature records broken

A woman and her dogs walk through an alley way in Victoria, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. (Chad Hipolito / The Canadian Press)

VANCOUVER — Parts of British Columbia are bracing for extreme cold and Arctic outflows well into next week, as the current frigid weather broke multiple low-temperature records entering the weekend.

Environment Canada says Abbotsford saw temperatures dip to -11 degrees on Friday, three degrees lower than the previous record set in 1989.

Communities such as Hope, Sechelt and Gibsons also saw their daily low records fall, with Hope’s -8.6 degrees breaching a mark set in 1948.

Environment Canada says that warnings are now in place for two parts of the province this weekend into next Tuesday, as cold temperatures and winds combine to create potentially hazardous conditions for residents there.

In the Yoho and Kootenay national parks, Environment Canada is forecasting an Arctic airmass and moderate winds combining to create wind chill values below -35, and frostbite can “develop within minutes on exposed skin” in those conditions.

Environment Canada is also warning of an Arctic outflow in parts of B.C.‘s North Coast including Terrace and Kitimat, where cold temperatures and strong winds will combine for wind chill values approaching -20 overnight and during mornings.

Residents in the region are asked to limit outdoor activity and shelter pets and animals that are typically outdoors.

The recent frigid weather brought heavy snow in B.C. and shuttered some schools in Metro Vancouver and on Vancouver Island.

Earlier Saturday Environment Canada warned of a low-pressure system creating “bands of flurries” over Vancouver Island, saying that accumulation exceeding 5 centimetres is possible in some areas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2025.