Extreme Weather in Alberta Leads to Extreme Cleanups, and More on the Way – Calgary | The Canadian News

Environment Canada republished a extreme cold weather warningg for Thursday and Friday nights for the City of Calgary and Rocky View County near Cochrane.

Extremely cold wind chill values ​​between -40 and -55 are expected in much of Alberta.

The recent freeze has already led to major problems, such as broken pipes and broken water pipes.

Authorities say the situation could get worse before it gets better.

2:14How to Avoid Broken Pipes During Calgary Deep Freeze and After Thaw

Since Christmas Day, the city of Calgary has received about 70 calls for broken pipes in homes.

And while there hasn’t been an uncommon number of water main interruptions, that could change depending on the type of winter Mother Nature has in store:

“Normally for us, the depth of frost really hits an area where it starts to impact us if it’s a significant, longer and colder winter, usually in February, March and April,” said Chris Huston of the city.

He said Calgary’s water infrastructure is typically buried deep enough to protect it from frost damage, unless there is a long period of freezing temperatures.

With more casualties on the way, Carol Henke of the Calgary Fire Department said there are a few things you can do to prevent potentially significant damage to your home, including using a hair dryer to defrost frozen pipes.

And if you are heading out of town, it is recommended to keep the heat on to avoid possible freezing.