One Roof extends hours; -42 C wind chill forecast
An extreme cold warning was issued Thursday for Peterborough and the Kawarthas for a cold spell that will see a low temperature of -25 C, feeling more like -39 C with the wind chill, early Friday morning and then a low of -29 C feeling more like -42 C early Saturday morning.
Peterborough Public Health also announced Thursday that the health unit is extending its frostbite alert, first issued on Boxing Day, through to Saturday as well.
The One Roof Community Centre, located at 99 Brock St., will extend its hours of service from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. until Saturday, the city announced Thursday afternoon.
“A prolonged period of very cold wind chills is expected,” states the extreme cold warning for Peterborough and the Kawarthas as of 3:17 p.m. Thursday
“Temperatures will fall rapidly this evening to reach lows of minus 20 to 25 C. Wind chill values due to northwest winds up to 50 kilometres per hour will be in the minus 35 to 40 range tonight. Temperatures and wind chill values will be slightly lower Friday night. The extreme cold will continue until Saturday or possibly into Sunday morning.”
The extreme cold warning is also in effect for all of Ontario.
In addition to the extended hours at the One Roof Community Centre, the city’s emergency shelters are open and available to those who require emergency overnight shelter:
Brock Mission Men’s Shelter: 120 Murray St., 705-748-4766
Cameron House Women’s Shelter: 739 Chemong Rd., 705748-4766
YES Shelter Youth and Families: 196 Brock St., 705-7483851
Warming Room Safe Overnight Space: 175 Murray St., 705-8689276
Emergency after-hours services related to emergency shelter are available through the city’s social services department by calling 705-740-6222, according to a release from the city.
Environment Canada offers the following tips to avoid the risks of extreme cold:
Cover up. Frostbite can develop within minutes on exposed skin, especially with wind chill.
Check on older family, friends and neighbours.
If it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside.
Peterborough Public Health also offers these extreme cold weather tips:
Everyone can be affected by extremely cold temperatures, particularly when there is a wind. The following groups or individuals are at greater risk of cold injuries: children seniors the homeless
people with circulatory problems
people taking certain prescription medications
outdoor workers
Seniors and people with disabilities who live alone should take extra caution, the health unit advises.
Adverse health effects can occur as a direct result of exposure to excessive cold:
Hypothermia:
Symptoms/signs include: shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling/uncoordinated movements, memory loss, slurred speech, drowsiness.
Frostbite:
Symptoms/signs include white/grayish skin area, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy,or numbness.
Increases in other health problems can also be seen, especially for those with other chronic medical conditions such as heart conditions.
Wind chill is included in the forecast when it reaches -25 C.
The normal temperatures for this time of year in Peterborough are a high of -4 C and a low of -14 C. While temperatures were more seasonably normal on Wednesday, they are not forecast to return to seasonable norms until Sunday night.