Period of intense cold
Last updated November 22, 2024
Related to
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)
Learn more about the topic
Shows borough content for
Find a borough to filter the list of search content.
Find a borough
Boroughs
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
Need help?
Contact us if you have questions.
Are you sure you want to leave this page?
This page is not available in English. You will be redirected to the English home page.