Extreme cold in Quebec: Several outdoor activities cancelled
Posted January 24, 2026 7:12 am.
Environment Canada issued a cold weather warning affecting all of Quebec shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday, with wind chill values ranging from minus-35 to minus-38 C.
Very cold weather will continue throughout the weekend, and Saturday’s windy conditions will contribute to a drop in temperature.
For example, with the wind chill, it felt like minus-36 C around 6 a.m. on Saturday in Montreal, but temperatures were expected to rise by about 10 degrees by the afternoon. The situation was similar in areas around Trois-Rivières, Quebec City, Rivière-du-Loup, Baie-Comeau, and Saguenay, where it felt like minus-40 C with the wind chill when people woke up.
With this extreme cold, it is not a good time to take children or pets outside, as the risk of frostbite is very high. Hospitals are anticipating an increase in cases of frostbite.
Public health authorities are particularly concerned about homeless people. In the city, where the problem of homelessness is highly visible, several resources have been mobilized to direct homeless people to places where they can warm up.
Several outdoor activities were cancelled on Saturday. This was particularly the case at the Granby Zoo, which was closed due to the extreme cold. Also in the Eastern Townships, ski lessons and Nuit Blanche were cancelled at the Bromont ski resort for the same reason, and night skiing was cancelled at Mont-Sainte-Anne, near Quebec City.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
