Toronto braces for coldest night in years from outbreak of arctic air
Written by The Canadian Press on January 22, 2026
Toronto could see one of its coldest nights in years as a massive blast of arctic air spreads across Ontario and other parts of Canada.
Environment Canada meteorologist Trudy Kidd says tomorrow’s low in Toronto could dip to -22, the coldest it’s been since January 2019.
In Ottawa, the forecast says it’ll be closer to -29.
Daytime temperatures won’t offer much relief, with the wind chill making it feel close to those overnight lows.
Kidd says the cold is expected to let up, at least slightly, come Monday but stay below seasonal through the end of the month.
Forecasters say a stretched polar vortex is a driving force behind the tough stretch of winter weather settling over parts of Canada and the United States.
The polar vortex, circling high-altitude winds that act like a fast-spinning barrier to keep frigid air locked over the North Pole, every so often gets knocked off kilter by big atmospheric waves. When that happens, arctic air can spill south, raising the risk of severe winter weather.
Saskatchewan, Manitoba and large parts of Ontario and Quebec are under cold warnings.
The arctic outbreak was also set to wreak havoc on a huge stretch of the United States, including places unaccustomed to brutal winter storms. U.S. forecasters warned the damage, especially in areas set to be hit by large amounts of ice, could rival a hurricane.
The storm was expected to begin Friday in New Mexico and Texas and then the worst of the weather will move east into the Deep South before heading up the coast and thumping New England with snow.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 22, 2026.
– With files from The Associated Press
Jordan Omstead, The Canadian Press