Period of intense cold
Last updated November 20, 2024
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Montréal can have periods of intense cold. What are the risks to your health and safety? Find out what you need to know.
What’s a period of intense cold?
In the winter, Intense cold is when temperatures fall significantly below the seasonal norm. Cold can also be made worse by the wind (wind chill). Typically, there are greater risks to your health when the wind chill makes the temperature feel like it’s -27 °C.
Health and safety risks
For you
- Windburn (dry, red, sore skin)
- Frostbite: in 5 to 10 minutes if skin is exposed at a temperature of -30 ºC to -35 ºC and there is also wind
- Irritation of throat and lungs
- Hypothermia
For your home and car
- Frozen pipes
- Power failure
- Car won’t start
- Fire, or carbon monoxide poisoning (improper use of back-up heating: portable heaters, space heaters)
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Ahuntsic-CartiervilleAnjouCôte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-GrâceLachineLaSalleLe Plateau-Mont-RoyalLe Sud-OuestL'Île-Bizard–Sainte-GenevièveMercier–Hochelaga-MaisonneuveMontréal-NordOutremontPierrefonds-RoxboroRivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-TremblesRosemont–La Petite-PatrieSaint-LaurentSaint-LéonardVerdunVille-MarieVilleray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension
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