Peterborough and The Kawarthas battle bitter cold

For the second day in a row, residents in Peterborough and The Kawarthas had to deal with bitterly cold temperatures.

The mercury sat in the minus teens all day on Friday.

Factor in the windchill, and it felt colder than -20 Celsius.

The frosty winter air kept auto shops and tow truck operators busy.

READ MORE: Most of Rideau Canal Skateway opens as cold snap hits Ottawa

The rush of cold air flooded in on Thursday. The chilly weather led to a water main burst on one of the city’s busiest arteries — Chemong Rd. — on Thursday night.

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“Even though the mains are six-feet down, there’s a lot of movement,” said David Whitehouse, spokesperson for Peterborough Utilities. “You get frost and that move the pipes. The metal pipes contract because of the cold. They’re brittle and you get a water main break.”

One Roof Community Centre on Water St. extended its hours for residents needing shelter until 9:30 p.m. on Friday. The Warming Room at the Murray Street Baptist Church is open Friday from 9:30 p.m. until 9 a.m. on Saturday.