Cold weather alert issued for City of Hamilton

The City of Hamilton’s medical officer of health has issued a cold weather alert for Sunday night.

An alert is issued when temperatures are expected to plummet to or below -15 degrees C or if it feels like -20 degrees C with wind chill.

When the medical officer of health issues the alert, the city notifies local agencies like the Salvation Army who help vulnerable residents.

According to Environment Canada, the snow and freezing rain will end Sunday morning and transition to a mix of sun and cloud. The temperature will fall to -9 in the afternoon, however it will feel closer to -20 with winds gusting to 40 KM per hour.

Temperatures will remain cold during the overnight into Monday morning.

If you have outdoor plans, make sure to dress in layers; protect your face, ears, hands and feet, drink warm fluids and be careful when doing outdoor exercise. When temperatures fall and the wind is strong there is greater risk for frostbite and hypothermia.

The cold weather alert will stay in effect until a cancellation notice is issued.