Published on Dec. 30, 2025, 4:42 PM
A blip of Arctic air has set the tone for 2026, bringing some of the coldest New Year’s Day temperatures in years to Central and Eastern Canada, with the chill spreading far beyond the border.
Canada could ring in 2026 with one of the coldest New Year’s Day temperatures in more than a decade, particularly in Ontario and Quebec, as widespread Arctic air passes over much of the country.
While Western Canada avoids a deep freeze, much of Central and Eastern Canada will begin the year cold, with daytime highs far below seasonal averages. For some cities, Jan. 1 could be among the coldest days on record.
New Year’s Day is anticipated to be dry but milder across most of B.C. and southern Alberta, with daytime highs in the single digits. Farther east, however, the story shifts as cold air flows south from the Arctic, through the Prairies and into Central Canada.
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Ontario and Quebec brace for rare New Year’s chill
Daytime highs in Ontario and Quebec are projected to be 5 to 10 degrees below normal on Jan. 1, making this one of the coldest starts to the year in recent memory.
Toronto’s Pearson International Airport is anticipated to reach a high of around -9°C, the city’s coldest New Year’s Day since 2014 and one of the five coldest on record. To break the all-time record, temperatures would have to drop below -10.6°C, which was set in 1968.
Ottawa and Montreal are expected to reach temperatures of around -15°C on New Year’s Day, making it the coldest since 2018. Sault Ste. Marie will be projected to reach -14°C, its coldest temperature also since 2014.