Toronto remains under an extreme cold weather alert Thursday as bitter cold temperatures are expected to stick around for another day.

The City of Toronto issued the alert Wednesday morning after temperatures dropped to -20 C with the wind chill in the later afternoon.

The frigid temperatures continued Thursday morning as Torontonians woke up to -24 C with the wind chill.

Extreme cold weather alerts are issued when the temperature is expected to reach -15 C or colder, or when the wind chill is forecast to reach -20 or colder.

“Exposure to cold weather can be harmful to your health,” Toronto’s medical officer of health Dr. Eileen de Villa warned in a news release.

She said that hypothermia occurs when the body’s core temperature drops below 35 C and can have severe consequences, including organ failure and death.

She added the cold temperatures can also result in frostbite, where skin freezes and, in severe cases, can lead to amputation when deep tissues freeze.

The #ExtremeColdWeatherAlert continues for Toronto today. Learn more about cold weather safety: https://t.co/cxOA1N3rAt — Toronto Public Health (@TOPublicHealth) December 19, 2019

De Villa advised Toronto residents to be on the lookout for “those most at risk of cold-related illness,” including people experiencing homeless, those who work outdoors, elderly people and young children.

The alert opened local services throughout the city that focus on getting and keeping vulnerable residents indoors.

A warming centre will be open at Metro Hall by 7 p.m. and will remain open until noon on the day the alert is terminated.

Things are expected to get better later this afternoon with temperatures expected to rise to -8 C. A 60 per cent chance of flurries is also expected.

The weather will remain cold Friday bringing in a low of -15 C with the wind chill in the morning, and a high of -8 C in the afternoon.

More mild temperatures are expected to return for the weekend with a high of 0 C on Saturday and 4 C on Sunday, CP24’s meteorologist Bill Coulter said Thursday morning.

“Tomorrow we start to climb out of the depths of cold and by Saturday and Sunday we will be back to above-normal temperatures that will last for much of Christmas week,” Coulter said.

“Just get through today, tonight and tomorrow and we’ll be smooth sailing from there-on-end.”