NYE temperatures to be ‘ almost inhospitable’
It could be record- breaking cold on New Year’s Eve in Niagara Falls Sunday.
On Friday, Environment Canada was forecasting temperatures of - 12 C to - 15 C for New Year’s Eve, while the Weather Network was forecasting temperatures of - 14 C to - 18 C, but feeling more like in the - 20 C range.
And for the thousands of people expected to gather at Queen Victoria Park for the annual celebration, it could feel even colder being near the Horseshoe Falls.
“Almost inhospitable,” said David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, noting the normal for this time of year is 0C.
“Our records are a bit fractioned in that area. We go back, say in the last 30 years, the coldest it’s ever been ( on New Year’s Eve in Niagara) was - 13.5C, so we’re going to be near record levels of temperature — that was back in 1999. I think the record, though, in a station that has records going back much further, was - 17.2C back in 1976, so it depends on when you’re looking at either Dec. 31 the low, or Jan. 1 the low, so they vary from one time to the other.”
One bit of good weather news for those who plan to ring in the new year at the outside concert in Niagara Falls is it doesn’t look like there will be any flurries, said Phillips.
“It’s going to be clear, Maybe you’ll be able to see the stars and a bit of cloud,” he said.
“You can bundle up, dress up warmly — the layered look, look like the Michelin person, and just bounce around, use lots of energy, don’t just stand there and stare. I think survival will mean really moving.”
Phillips said it’s too early to forecast what the windchill is going to be on New Year’s Eve with cloudy periods ( it got down to about - 24 C Thursday), but “whichever way you cut it, it’s going to be cold.”
“It may be fun. What could be more Canadian than to deal with that? The real heroes … people who don’t mind face- numbing windchill and things like that, will be the people there celebrating it, and you know what, it will be memorable. They’ll look back and say I was there on perhaps the coldest bringing in new year’s on record.”
Queen Victoria Park along the Niagara Parkway in Niagara Falls will be the host site of CBC’s national Canada 150 NYE broadcast, hosted by Rick Mercer.
The free outdoor concert kicks off at 8 p. m. with an all- Canadian lineup, including two- time country pop female vocalist of the year, Jess Moskaluke; emerging country stars, James Baker Band; Toronto- raised, R& B artist, Jessie Reyez; multi- platinum- selling, Montreal- bred band, Simple Plan; and JUNO award- winning, Vancouver- based band, Marianas Trench.
There will be two fireworks displays at 9 p. m. and midnight.