Frosty temps break records in Manitoba

La Salle River, Feb 13 (Dan Timmerman, CTV News)

WINNIPEG — A series of frigid nights in Winnipeg has culminated in overnight Friday temperatures breaking the 1949 record of -36.7 degrees Celsius.

According to Environment Canada, Winnipeg experienced a temperature of -38.6 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record by 1.6 degrees Celsius.

The city wasn’t alone. Temperatures in Brandon dropped even colder, to -39 degrees Celsius, breaking that city’s 1979 record of -36.2 Celsius.

The weather agency said the arctic blast is being felt across the prairies and into Alberta, with other jurisdictions breaking regional records.

On Wednesday, the Island Lake area recorded a temperature of -41.4 degrees Celsius, the coldest it has been there since 1974.

Gimli experienced -39.6 degrees Celsiuson Thursday, with the Pilot Mound area breaking a 1939 low temperature, record hitting -35.2 degrees Celsius.

Some relief from the extreme cold is on the way for Manitobans. Environment Canada said after this weekend, the forecast is for a gradual improvement of temperatures.