After too little snowfall for the first month or so of the season in Western Canada was followed by stormy weather and some substantial accumulations over recent days and weeks, ski areas in Alberta and BC are being hit by extreme cold.
Banff and the wider Alberta/Eastern BC region is experiencing overnight lows down to -40° with a daytime high of -31° forecasted today.
"We've made the decision to close all lifts on Friday, January 12. Saturday is looking warmer and we'll keep you posted on all weather related developments," a spokesperson for the local Mt Norquay ski centre advised.
Norquay isn't the only one with most resorts in the region deciding to close. Marmot Basin up near Jasper, one of the world's most northerly major ski areas was closed on Thursday as well.
However temperatures are not quite so bad (daytime 'only' -20s) closer to the coast and centres like Red Mountain and Whistler Blackcomb are currently reported to be staying open with daytime temperatures in the -20 to -30C range).
In extreme cold frostbite can occur to exposed areas like ears, noses and fingers within one ski run (lift ascent and decent) but one of the wider fears is mechanical failure of a lift leaving skiers and boarders stranded.
