Calgary weather: Extreme cold sparks school closures, bus cancellations

Frigid cold weather continued in Calgary on Monday, prompting school closures and some school bus cancellations.

The plummeting temperatures are due to a polar vortex and have resulted in Environment Canada issuing a cold weather warning for Calgary and most of Alberta.

The agency warns that the city will see wind chill values between -40 C and -45 C.

“These extreme wind chills will moderate through the day slightly, however, the extreme wind chills will persist in the overnight periods into Tuesday,” a statement from Environment Canada said.

“The cold arctic air is expected to remain through most of the week for the more northern regions of Alberta.”

Extreme cold warnings are issued when very cold temperatures or wind chill creates an elevated risk to health such as frost bite and hypothermia.

WATCH: Global News Morning Calgary’s Matthew Conrod ventures onto the frozen tundra of the Global Calgary parking lot to conduct an experiment using boiling hot water.

1:17 Who says you can’t have fun in the freezing cold?

BELOW: School closures in Calgary and area for Monday, Feb. 4

• Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School
• Calgary Academy
• Cremona school
• Khalsa School Calgary
• Chinook Winds Adventist Academy

All Calgary Board of Education (CBE) schools are open.

BELOW: School bus cancellations

• First Student school bus services are not running to Providence Children facilities
• Renfrew Education Services buses are cancelled
• Busses to Chinook Edge school division are cancelled

See a school closure we are missing? Emails us at Calgary@globalnews.ca.

The cold weather has also prompted Canada Olympic Park to close and cancel ski lessons for Monday and Tuesday. Nakiska Ski Area west of the city also said it will be closed on Monday due to the cold.

EMS are warning Calgarians to bundle up if they venture out into the frigid cold.

“The two biggest aspects we’re concerned about are hypothermia and frostbite,” spokesperson Adam Loria told Global News. “To mitigate those, cover up as much skin as possible.”

“Frostbite will set in within just a number of minutes so cover up as much skin as possible.”

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Meanwhile, the Calgary Humane Society is asking pet owners to keep an eye on their furry friends during the extreme cold. The organization issued a warning via Twitter on Sunday that pet owners are required by law to provide adequate shelter to pets.

The frigid cold is too chilly for penguins at the Calgary Zoo. The organization said Monday their penguin walk was cancelled due to the extreme cold.

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