Ottawa Public Health has issued a frostbite advisory for the capital.
The advisory was issued Wednesday as temperatures steadily dropped throughout the afternoon, after a mild morning with a high of -1 C.
Temperatures continued to plummet -25 C overnight Wednesday, feeling more like -32 C with the wind chill.
Ottawa Public Health issues a frostbite advisory when a wind chill of -25 C or colder is forecast by Environment Canada for the Ottawa area.
Public Health says exposed skin can freeze in less than 10 minutes when the wind chill is below -25 C.
The cold weather is forecast to stick around. Thursday will be mostly sunny and -12C but the wind chill will continue, feeling more like -28C in the morning and feeling more like -15 in the afternoon.
The cold temperatures are expected to continue throughout the weekend.