Tree frost (BlackburnNews.com photo by Ray Baynton)Tree frost (BlackburnNews.com photo by Ray Baynton)
Sarnia

Polar vortex could bring record cold to Sarnia-Lambton

It's going to get even more unseasonably cold and frosty as we head into the weekend.

Environment Canada meteorologist Peter Kimbell said Ontario remains in the grip of a cold Arctic air mass.

"We have a famous, quote, unquote, 'polar vortex' descending from the north that will be over our region on the weekend," said Kimbell. "So it's just going to get colder and colder, and we even have the 'F' word in the forecast, unfortunately, flurries."

Kimbell said Sarnia could see record cold temperatures.

"On Friday, the record low is minus 2.2 C in 1954 and we have a forecast of minus 3, so we're forecasting a record low. We're forecasting a high of 5 C, which is pretty close to the coldest high 4.6 C in 1983. So any way you slice it, it's going to be cold on Friday and probably the weekend as well," he said.

The normal high for this time of year in Sarnia is about 19 C (66 F), and the low around 6 C (43 F).

Kimbell said it won't start warming up until the middle of next week.

"We'll be into a warming phase Wednesday, Thursday next week. In fact, a huge difference is very possible between Monday and Friday next week; Monday next week, we're looking for a high of 6 C and we could be looking at much warmer temperatures by the end of the week, even before that, maybe even Thursday."

On Thursday the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority extended its flood watch for the Lake Huron shoreline until Sunday unless otherwise updated.

-With files from Colin Gowdy

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