The northeastern United States and eastern Canada experienced a freezing weekend, with temperatures reaching record highs, and causing dangerous conditions that were expected to gradually improve from Sunday.
At the top of Mount Washington in the US state of New Hampshire, the temperature felt (taking wind chill into account) reached -78°C on Friday evening, the US Weather Services (NWS) said.
This peak is reputed to have
“the worst weather in the world”.
According to the specialized site Weather Channel, the previous record of temperature felt was -74°C.
Protect the homeless
In New York, where the mercury fell to -16°C in Central Park, homeless shelters were under orders not to turn anyone away.
In Boston, schools were closed on Friday as a precaution.
Local Maine weather services meanwhile reported a felt temperature of -51°C in the small town of Frenchville, near the border with Canada.
Steam rises from Boston Harbor as the outside temperature nears -14°C on Saturday.
JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP
Extreme cold alerts issued by Environment Canada were in effect this weekend for a large part of Quebec and the maritime provinces of Eastern Canada, with in several regions temperatures felt as high as -40°C or even - 50°C.
In Montreal, it was -29°C in the early morning at the international airport, and -41°C taking into account the wind chill, according to the weather services.
Read alsoWhat is the temperature felt?
The polar cold caused record electricity consumption in Quebec.
Consumption peaked late Friday afternoon.
The electric company Hydro Quebec has invited its customers to reduce the heating by one or two degrees and to use less hot water.