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After a nearly two-day reprieve, Montreal is again enveloped in an extreme cold warning, courtesy of Environment Canada.

The city had been under an extreme cold warning from Dec. 27 until Jan. 3 — one of the longest cold snaps recorded here. During part of the reprieve, a smog warning had hung over its residents.

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In addition to the deep freeze — minus-20 Celsius (but 15 degrees below that with the wind chill) — blowing snow pummelled Montrealers like little ice bullets. Light and blowing snow were expected to continue through the night with a low of minus-23 C overnight, then hopefully crawling up to minus-19 C on Saturday.

The Sûreté du Québec encouraged people to stay off highways, if they can, as blowing snow is affecting visibility.

“If you can stay at home, stay at home,” SQ spokesperson Louis-Philippe Bibeau said Friday morning. He encouraged drivers to slow down and maintain their distance.