THUNDER BAY, – Weather – Exposed skin can freeze in under ten minutes. That is the warning from Environment Canada as the ‘Polar Vortex’ returns to Northwestern Ontario.

A cold front moving southwards from Northern Manitoba is expected to usher in a fresh shot of cold Arctic air. These cold temperatures combined with north winds of 20 to 30 kilometres per hour are forecast to generate wind chill values ranging from minus 40 to minus 45 tonight and into Thursday morning.

At these extreme wind chill values frostbite may occur on exposed skin in less than 10 minutes.

The cold weather and extreme wind chill is impacting most of Northern Ontario.

The cold weather is impacting Duluth Minnesota as well.

WeatherUnderground reports, for Duluth, “Partly cloudy late in the evening then clearing. Isolated snow showers late in the evening. Areas of blowing snow through the night. Lows 21 below to 26 below zero inland…and 15 below to 20 below zero near Lake Superior. Northwest winds 10 to 20 mph. Gusts up to 35 mph into early morning. Wind chill values to 50 below after midnight”.