TORONTO — Ontario is expected to become the coldest place on Earth this week as an intense Arctic air mass driven by a disrupted polar vortex settles over the province, sending temperatures and wind chills to extreme lows.Forecasts indicate that large parts of Ontario, including the Greater Toronto Area, will experience surface temperatures near –30C, while wind chills are expected to plunge well below –40C in some regions. Meteorologists say that when combined with exceptionally cold air in the upper atmosphere, the province is projected to be colder than any other location globally during the peak of the event.Toronto is bracing for one of its most severe cold snaps of the winter, with dangerous conditions expected from Friday through the weekend. Wind chills in the city are forecast to fall into the –30C range, creating a risk of frostbite on exposed skin within 10 to 30 minutes..The extreme cold follows an already below-seasonal week across southern Ontario. Earlier this week marked Toronto’s coldest day of the season so far, with daytime highs well below normal. Conditions are expected to worsen as strong winds accompany the Arctic air, further intensifying the cold.According to Environment Canada, extreme cold warnings are likely as the air mass strengthens. The agency has cautioned that the combination of low temperatures and high winds could lead to hazardous travel conditions, increased strain on energy systems, and elevated risks to health and safety.Meteorologists at The Weather Network say the designation of Ontario as the coldest place on Earth is based on both surface conditions and unusually low temperatures higher in the atmosphere, where the core of the polar vortex is expected to pass directly over the region..Light snow and flurries are possible through the end of the week, with snow squalls expected in parts of northern Ontario and areas north of the GTA. While snowfall amounts remain uncertain, forecasters say the cold itself will be the dominant and most dangerous factor.Residents across the province, including those in Toronto, are being urged to limit time outdoors, dress for extreme conditions, and check on vulnerable individuals as Ontario enters what is expected to be the coldest period anywhere in the world this week.
