北極寒流南侵襲加拿大,街頭露宿者和死神談判 / Arctic Cold Air Locks Canada in Deep Freeze, Homeless People are at Risk

這星期北極寒流南下,侵襲加拿大各個大城小鎮。今晨渥太華天氣嚴寒,室外溫度計是攝氏零下20多度(加上風速指數是接近零下30至40度)。

我家屋子是靠燒天然氣的火爐保持約20度的室內溫度,如果我感覺冷也不用穿上户外冬天衣物,只要燒開水弄杯熱咖啡或奶茶便可保溫。

但在這四季如春的人做暖窩中,我心裡不禁想到那些無家可歸的街頭露宿者,他/她們在那天寒地凍的户外環境,又怎樣和死神談判呢?

附貼: 今星期渥太華的天氣報告預測,和加拿大國家電視台的新聞

Short Term ForecastUpdated:Wednesday, January 23, 2013, 6:37EST

	WednesdayMorningMorning: 6:00 AM - 11:59 AM	WednesdayAfternoonAfternoon: 12:00 PM - 5:59 PM	WednesdayEveningEvening: 6:00 PM - 11:59 PM	WednesdayOvernightOvernight: 12:00 AM - 5:59 AM	ThursdayMorningMorning: 6:00 AM - 11:59 AM
	Sunny	Sunny	Clear	Clear	Mainly sunny
Temp.	-28 °C	-21 °C	-24 °C	-32 °C	-28 °C
Feels Like	-36	-29	-30	-43	-40
Wind	W  10 km/h	W  10 km/h	NW  5 km/h	NW  10 km/h	NW  20 km/h
Relative Humidity	71  %	76  %	76  %	91  %	91  %
P.O.P.	10  %	0  %	0  %	0  %	10  %

Source: The Weather Newtwork / Ottawa

According to CBC News Tuesday night:

"….. The Arctic air mass responsible for double-digit windchill warnings will continue until the weekend, CBC News meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe reported Tuesday night. The high-pressure ridge is expected to move eastward through to the weekend when some areas of Canada will begin to see seasonable temperatures. That's small comfort to cities such as Ottawa, where the local health unit issued a frostbite warning earlier today when a wind chill forecast of -35C was issued ….

Homeless shelters open emergency beds

Staff at Toronto's homeless shelters opened an additional 172 shelter spaces overnight Monday for those caught in the bitter cold. The bone-chilling Toronto temperatures may have already claimed one man's life overnight. A homeless man was found without vital signs and hypothermic on Markham Road in the Scarborough neighbourhood. He later died in hospital.
City shelters in Montreal have been at over capacity all week. Temperatures felt like – 23 with the wind chill, below the season average, and are expected to reach – 38 by tonight. Some shelter services in the city are driving around and picking up people who are in need.

Environment Canada forecast Toronto temperatures late Monday and into early Tuesday morning to dip into –13 C without the wind chill, and a high of –11 C on Tuesday during the day. With the wind chill, it will feel like –25 in the city.
Officials in several provinces have warned drivers to be careful as severe winter conditions affect roads. There were no special weather statements or warnings issued for Toronto, but motorists in the Barrie, Collingwood and Hillsdale regions further northwest were told to brace for snow squalls and near-zero visibility on the roads from blowing snow.

Parts of northern Ontario are under wind chill warnings due to the Arctic air mass and gusts of around 15 km/h, which could bring wind chill values as low as –55 in the morning, though daytime heating is likely to bring that up closer to a still-blistering –45.

In Ottawa, the public health service issued a frostbite warning Tuesday evening that will continue until Thursday. Those seeking to help a homeless person get off the street are asked to call the Help for the Homeless phone line at 613-580-2626. The warning is issued when a wind chill of -35 C or lower is predicted. Temperatures in Ottawa fell to –19 C in the afternoon (wind chill temperature is abt -38 C this morning!!). …"

Source: CBC News 2013/01/22

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Related links: Search this blog for homeless people 街頭露宿者  http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.ca/search?q=%E8%A1%97%E9%A0%AD%E9%9C%B2%E5%AE%BF%E8%80%85