FORT SEVERN, ATTAWAPISKAT – Severe Windchill Warnings have been issued by Environment Canada for Fort Severn, Attawapiskat and the entire coast of Hudson Bay in Northern Ontario.  It is very cold across the entire region of Northwestern Ontario.

Severe Windchill Warnings

Environment Canada reports, “Wind chill values near minus 45 this morning. Cold Arctic air combined with brisk winds are producing very cold wind chill values near minus 45 this morning. Conditions are expected to improve by midday”.

While there are not official warnings in effect for the rest of Northwestern Ontario, temperatures and windchill values are below average. In Thunder Bay (February 4, 2013 at 7:45AM EST) it is -28c and windchill is -38c.

Making sure that students headed out to school, for students busing, all buses are running, but could have delays.

Across the North, extreme caution is advised if outdoors.

Frostbite and hypothermia can occur within minutes if adequate precautions are not taken when outdoors.

What is Severe Windchill?

The Weather Channel shares, “Wind chill is the cooling our body feels when the impact of temperature and wind are combined. Normally, on a relatively calm day our body is able to provide some protection from the outside temperature by heating up a thin layer of air that lies close to the skin. This added insulation is known as a boundary layer. On windy days, however, this insulating layer gets taken away, leaving our skin more exposed to the outside temperature. It takes time and energy for our body to warm up another layer of air, and if this layer continually gets blown away, eventually our skin’s temperature will fall and our body will feel colder”.

Head South?

Visit NetNewsledger.com Southern Weather Reports. Maybe it is time for an escape south for a holiday?