WATERLOO REGION — February 2015 could turn out to be the coldest in 135 years in Waterloo Region.

"We're seven-and-half degrees below normal: that's huge in terms of anomalies," said Peter Kimbell, a meteorologist at Environment Canada.

The average temperature this month so far is -13.3 C. Normal is -5.5 C.

As of Wednesday, that's tied the 110-year-old average cold temperature record for the month, set in Galt in 1904. Weather statistics there go back to September 1879.

With more far-below-normal temperatures forecast through month's end, Kimbell doubts the temperature average will climb — and might creep lower.

Except for British Columbia and southern Alberta, Arctic air has Canada in its grip, he said.

The cold is reaching far south into the U.S., too, Kimbell said. The morning low was -10 C in Atlanta, with a snowstorm on the way.

A low of -27 C is forecast at dawn Friday in the Kitchener area. A northwest wind of 30 km/h gusting to 50 km/h is also expected overnight, creating a wind chill around -40.

A high of -16 C is forecast Friday under clear skies and fading winds.

Saturday starts with -19 C low before temperatures start to climb to a high around -6 C as snow arrives. Sunday's high is forecast at -5 C is forecast, when there might be 10 centimetres of snow on the ground.

Normal highs are -2 C this time of year, with lows of -11 C.

Temperatures are expected to plunge again next week, with a low of -22 C at dawn Monday and daytime high of -15 C. A high of -10 C might arrive by Wednesday, with temperatures inching upwards — slowly — by month's end.

"After that, cross our fingers, it may be cold, just not bitterly cold," Kimbell said.

"On the last weekend of February, maybe we can have a cold weekend not a frigid weekend. We're not talking about getting up to normal yet. We're still not there."

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

- Monday's -34.1 C not quite coldest day ever recorded in Waterloo Region

- Extreme cold warning continues - frostbite in as few as 10 minutes