It was a New Year’s Eve to remember in Winnipeg this year as the temperature fell below the temperature of Mars, making it colder than the North Pole as well. This was the coldest New Year’s Eve experience for Winnipeg citizens and there is a reason for that.
A meteorologist with Environment Canada, Dale Marciski said the year 2013 drew to a close with the delivery of the coldest December day Winnipeg has seen in 80 years, with temperatures plunging early in the day to -37.9°C. It has not been this cold in Winnipeg during December since 1933.
There has been a cooler New Year’s Eve on record, with the mercury dropping to -38.3°C on December 31, 1884. However, that is of little comfort to most Winnipeggers enduring a cold that, with the wind-chill factored in, felt like it was almost -48°C, reports Winnipeg Sun.
According to the Manitoba Museum located in Winnipeg, it was warmer on the surface of Mars than it was in Winnipeg.
The museum’s post on Twitter said: “According to the Curiosity Rover, Mars reached a maximum air temperature of -29°C today. Winnipeg's high was -31°C.”
Not to mention the North Pole. A photo of the two temperature charts side by side went viral early New Year's Eve showing that it was even 10 degrees warmer at the North Pole.
On the other hand, 2014 started off slightly warmer with Wednesday’s high of -25°C and wind-chill of -33°C. Making it as good news for the few hundred running in the 29th annual 5K Resolution Run at 10:30 am.
With an average temperature of only -20.9°C, it was the second-coldest December Winnipeggers have seen in 120 years, and sixth-coldest overall. In general, it can be called a fairly horrendous month, weather-wise, for Winnipeg and most of the province. As one person even died from exposure to the conditions during the month, moreover shelters are reporting that they are packed to the fullest capacity as the homeless try to stay warm.
Meanwhile, United Airlines had to cancel flights to and from Winnipeg for the last two days of December, telling passengers the conditions were too cold for their planes to fly safely.
It is as if all that was not enough bad news for Winnipeggers, because Marciski said the forecast for January does not look very encouraging either.
“I know this isn’t what people want to hear, but other than for a brief warm-up on Friday, there’s no break in the cold until at least the middle of next week,” said Marciski. “Stay warm if you can and watch the wind chill, because it can be brutal.”
