Friday was not only the end of the work week for most of us, it was also the end of our frigid cold spell. But we'll only get a brief hiatus and it comes with a price.
The GTA woke up to its second straight day of bone chilling temperatures, with the mercury hovering around the -18C mark. Even without a strong breeze to make things worse, it was painful to simply be outside for any length of time.
Hard as it is to believe, Friday morning was even chillier than Thursday, making it the coldest AM of the entire winter.
But things improved by mid-afternoon and the city was able to cancel its Extreme Cold Weather Alert. It's called whenever temperatures reach -15C without the wind chill.
And in the topsy-turvy winter of 2006-2007, the weather weirdness will continue right into the weekend. Temperatures will actually be going up overnight, which means we won't reach our high of -7C until the witching hour.
Saturday brings some relief with the mercury soaring - if you can call it that - to just above the freezing mark. But we'll pay for it in the form of snow.
Between three to six centimetres could fall over the local area by the time you wake up for your weekend, which could mean you'll have to shovel out your driveway and brave some slick roads.
It started just in time to make the afternoon rush interesting and won't stop until sometime on Saturday. And there could even be some freezing rain mixed into the mess.
Centres outside of the GTA could get even more.
But if you think you were suffering in your little bit of frozen heaven, think again.
Some Toronto residents are convinced they have to traverse the very worst cold corners in the entire city. And after we asked you for your nominations on Thursday, you heated up our inbox with your choices.
Aaron Luscombe thinks his daily ride from Weston and Steeles is the most frigid in the city.
"This is the coldest spot and the wind blows on through," the security guard proclaims.
"The building was built on top of a little hill and was built turned compared to the other buildings around it," he writes. "Because of this the wind blows through like a hot knife in butter, and even walking out to your car or going across the street, you can get blown away."
But others disagree.
It's the "Corner of Yonge and Soudan Ave.," insists Melissa Sernaglia in an email. And it doesn't matter which side of the street you're on.
Other viewers picked Front and Spadina, Front and Wellington or Humber Bay Park.
What does
CityNews meteorologist Michael Kuss think should get the dubious honour?
He chooses Bay and Bloor Sts.
"You still get the wind tunnel effects of the big buildings but we're far enough removed from Lake Ontario to not feel the warming effect of the water," he points out.
No matter which one is the winner, all of them will be warming up under a blanket of snow for one day. And then it's back to the deep freeze again by Sunday, with more bitter wind chills and warnings about frostbite.
Under the kinds of conditions we've been experiencing the last few days, exposed flesh can freeze in mere minutes, so experts are advising you to bundle up, watch for the signs of exposure and take immediate action if your hands go numb or turn a whitish colour in the cold.
After being spoiled for so long, most Toronto residents are ready to cry 'uncle' at the brutal conditions.
And it's harder on some than others. Spencer Miller is in a wheelchair. "It is freezing cold, and it happened really, really quickly," he complains. "So it's not very ideal for a handicapped guy, I can tell you that right now."
Others aren't surprised by the sudden cold snap and might well have been disappointed if it hadn't happened.
"We've got lots of layers on and we're making the most of it," laughs Sharon Doleman, who's here with her husband from England. "And of your Canadian hospitality. We're really enjoying it."
In other words, our cold is making her feel genuine warmth. Which would be the last thing you'd expect from a Toronto winter.
To check the latest forecast and the current conditions,
click here.
To see a wind chill chart that determines how cold it feels,
click here.
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