Frigid temperatures recorded yesterday shattered records set in previous years, marking the coldest Dec. 13 in Edmonton’s history.
The temperature at the Edmonton International Airport dipped to -46.1 C at its lowest point, smashing the -36.1 C record set in 2008, Environment Canada meteorologist David Schmidt said yesterday.
“It was a chilly one,” he said.
The Edmonton City Centre Airport recorded -36.6 C yesterday, beating the previous record of -32.8 C set in 1882.
“We’re probably experiencing the coldest temperatures we’ll see for the next little while,” he said.
Thankfully, Schmidt added, the season’s icy grip will ease by mid-week when the Arctic high-pressure area dominating weather over the Prairies will shift to a Pacific stream.
Temperatures will level out by Friday, likely reaching minus single-digits.
The all-time record at the International Airport was set in January 1972, when the mercury fell to -48.3C.
“We almost beat it — just within the two-degree range,” Schmidt said.
Edmonton was the coldest place in the world yesterday, second only to a Siberian weather station, where temperatures reached -48 C.