Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued an Extreme Cold Warning for Cambridge, Ont., with wind chills expected to bottom out near −31°C overnight Monday, Jan. 26 into Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026. At those wind‑chill levels, frostbite can develop on exposed skin in under 15 minutes.
The coldest window is expected between 11:00 p.m. Monday and 10:00 a.m. Tuesday. Gusts of up to 50 km/h may produce localized blowing snow and reduced visibility, particularly on exposed rural roads around the city.
Region of Waterloo Public Health advises residents to dress in multiple layers with a wind‑resistant outer shell and to limit time outdoors. The Region and partners have expanded warming spaces for people in need, including an overnight site at 6 Cambridge Street (Wesley United Church lower level) and Idea Exchange branches (Preston, Galt and Hespeler) during regular hours.
The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) is warning the public to stay back from riverbanks. Rapidly forming frazil ice (a slushy ice that can clump and cause ice jams) can block river flow and increase the risk of sudden flooding in Cambridge neighbourhoods such as Galt, Preston and Hespeler.
Residents are urged to check on neighbours, keep pets indoors during the freeze (as advised by animal welfare authorities), and take steps to protect property — for example, insulating pipes or taking other precautions to prevent water lines from freezing.
