Extreme cold forces school closures

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/01/2014 (4459 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With temperatures well below -30 C and wind chills at or below -45 across most of Manitoba, many school divisions have either closed schools or have cancelled bus service this morning.

Riverview School in Winnipeg School Division was closed today because of heating equipment problems, but the division announced Monday afternoon that the equipment was repaired and classes would resume Tuesday.

The weather continues to play havoc with other equipment, though. Brandon School Division announced Monday afternoon that buses will not be operating outside the city of Brandon on Tuesday all day due to equipment issues.

All Brandon School Division schools will be open and buses will continue to run within the city of Brandon, Ron Harkness, Brandon School Division supervisor of transportation, said in a statement.

Attendance at Brandon schools is at parental discretion where travel is required. Parents are asked to call in if their children won’t be attending.

Here’s a list of divisions reporting in to the Free Press:

– no school bus service in any Winnipeg school division, however, classes resume today after the holiday season break

– Lord Selkirk: no buses and classes cancelled

– Seine River: no buses and classes cancelled

– Brandon: no buses running but classes will be held

– Prairie Rose: no buses and classes cancelled

– Lakeshore: no buses and classes cancelled

– Border Land: no buses and classes cancelled

– Turtle Mountain: no buses and classes cancelled

– Red River Valley; no buses and classed cancelled

– Sunrise: no buses and classes cancelled

– Interlake: no buses and classes cancelled

– Pine Creek: no buses and classes are cancelled

– Beautiful Plains: no buses running but classes will be held.

Please let us know of any other cancellations at webnews@freepress.mb.ca.

It’s pinchy cold, as my nanny used to say, and that pinch is going to last at least until Thursday.

This morning’s temperature of -33 C in Winnipeg feels like -46 with the wind chill and frostbite could occur within five to10 minutes on any exposed skin.

Environment Canada’s forecast is calling for a mix of sun and cloud today with a high of -28 C.

Overnight, there will be a wind chill of -40.

Plug in and strap in for a few more days of bundling up.

The extreme wind chill values are expected to continue through Tuesday and Wednesday, in the -34 C range.

A break will come by the end of the week as there will be a high of -11 C for Thursday and -8 C on Friday.