Return of the polar vortex: Arctic air to bring bitterly cold sub-zero temperatures to much of Canad

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A dreaded polar vortex is heading for Canada less than two weeks after it plunged us into record-breaking lows — and this time it’s expected to stay much longer.

The spinning pool of freezing, dense Arctic air will hit Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba with much-colder-than-normal temperatures early next week, Environment Canada meteorologist.

“We will know more about how cold it’s going to get as we get closer to the middle of next week.

It likely won’t be as cold as early January — when wind chills hit -50 C in some regions — but Toronto is forecast to hover around -20 C. The average temperature in the city this time of year is -2 C.

In Winnipeg, Environment Canada expects temperatures to hit -35 C.

The bitter cold will likely stick around Ontario and Manitoba until the end of January and then hang over Saskatchewan and Alberta until mid-February.

“What’s been different this particular winter is the depth of cold air that we’re dealing with — how cold this air actually was — and how far south it penetrated.

• ‘Polar vortex ’ disrupting business, but Canada will recoup losses, economists say
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• Most of Canada dealing with miserable winter weather: Wind chills of -50 C in Manitoba, freezing rain in Toronto, blackouts in Newfoundland

The deep freeze will add to headaches as Canada faces its winter mix of eastward-travelling snow storms.

Canadians should brace for possible flight disruptions. Last time a polar vortex hit North America, airports experienced delays and cancellations as crews struggled to de-ice planes and runways froze over.

On Jan. 7, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority declared an hours-long “ground stop” at the Pearson International Airport after temperatures of -24 C froze over runways. The declaration cancelled hundreds of flights.

“Idon’t think anyone has any idea what it’s like to work in -40 degree weather pitching bags into a plane on a skating rink. That was the issue,” said Air Canada executive vice president and chief financial officer Michael Rousseau.

Ontario is also still recovering from a Christmas ice storm that downed trees and hydro lines, cutting power to hundreds of thousands for days and stalling road and air travel. The storm impacted dozens of communities and officials have said the total bill from the affected municipalities could top $250 million, including $106 million for Toronto alone.

So far there’s no explanation for why Canada has been hit so hard by severe weather this winter.