Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) removed an Orange (high-impact) cold warning for The Pas, Manitoba, on the morning of January 26, 2026; the change was posted on ECCC’s website and WeatherCAN app. Local conditions, however, remained dangerous: sustained northwest winds of 30–50 km/h and wind‑chill values that recent observations and forecasts showed around −38°C to −42°C.
ECCC’s decision reflected that wind chill was no longer expected to be sustained at or below −45°C, the threshold used for an Orange cold warning in Northern Manitoba; forecasts showed a marginal improvement toward about −40°C, which is below the Orange threshold. The agency cleared the Orange alert from the alerts banner and replaced it with a forecast summary on its platforms as part of the new colour‑coded alerting system introduced in late 2025.
Local stakeholders such as the Kelsey School Division rely on those wind‑chill numbers to decide whether buses will operate. The division’s Policy EBCA states buses will not run when Environment Canada (The Pas Airport, YQD) reports a wind chill at or below −45°C. Recent hourly observations from The Pas Airport (YQD) showed wind‑chill readings in the roughly −38°C to −42°C range on Jan. 26, 2026, prompting continued monitoring by airport and local transportation staff.
Even though the formal Orange warning banner was removed, the air remained cold enough to pose a health risk: ECCC and wind‑chill guidance note that at wind chills below −40°C exposed skin can freeze in roughly 5–10 minutes, and frostbite can occur faster when winds exceed about 50 km/h. Residents are advised to dress in layers and cover exposed skin when going outside, and to follow local guidance on travel and school transportation.
