Outdoor workers rejoice as one of Edmonton's longest cold snaps to end

Many Edmontonians are already counting down the hours until Monday when temperatures are set to thaw.

According to Environment Canada, temperatures are forecasted to get warmer as the weekend progresses. The predicted high for Monday is minus seven degrees, while Tuesday is expected to reach the positives.

Extreme cold enveloped Edmonton in the nastiest deep freeze in the city's history for over half a century, said Josh Classen, CTV News Edmonton chief meteorologist.

"If you include tomorrow, which should stay below -20 degrees Celsius, 13 of 15 consecutive days have had highs below -20," Classen added.

"From Christmas Day to New Year's Eve, we had a seven consecutive day stretch where it didn't get above -20."

During the past 50 years, only two other streaks came close, Classen said. December 1981 to January 1982 and January 1996 had stretches with 11 of 14 days staying below -20.

"This is officially the longest, coldest deep freeze since that brutal winter of '69," Classen said, when a frigid 26-day streak of highs below -20 hit Edmonton.

'WE HAVE TO LAYER UP'

For many working outside, Monday can't come fast enough.

"I am definitely looking forward to it warming up," said Mark Tithecott, an EPCOR water distribution labour foreman.

"I think like most Edmontonians, I am ecstatic that this is actually going to be warming up and having a reprieve from the cold," he added. "We are all looking forward to it."

Tithecott said the hardest part has been layering up for the past two weeks.

"You have to layer up. We make sure we have all the proper PPE on. We work in groups, so we kind of watch out for one another, and we look for indications that anybody else is having any signs of frostbite."

While the temperatures may have slowed down how quickly work was done, Tithecott said jobs were still completed.

"(We) take pride in the work we do," he said.

A local candy store used the cold weather to attract visitors.

"Whatever the temperature is outside, I'm going to give you that discount on bulk candy," said Laurie Radostitz, owner of Sweet Convenience.

"How do you get people in your store when it's -40 outside? They don't want to go anywhere. They want to stay home. But we also want to feel good, and candy makes people happy."

For Lisa Salman, dog walking in the past two weeks has been challenging.

"I can gear up, but it's hard to gear up the dogs," she said. "You kinda just get out and see if they can handle it and then put them back in (the warmth)."

Salman says she is looking forward to not needing to double up on socks and clothes once temperatures get warmer.

"Especially with COVID going on," she said. "It's so important that we can get out and enjoy the environment."