The teeth chattering winter we were predicted to have has arrived on the prairies. 

For much of the week, Moose Jaw and most of southern Saskatchewan has been in a deep freeze and that's expected to continue for the next little while. 

Despite some very mild wind, Environment Canada Meteorologists predict the temperature will drop to roughly minus 40 or 50 degrees overnight on Wednesday. They added that the frigid temperatures could last through the next 24 to 48 hours, which is why they have issued an extreme cold warning for our area. 

According to Environment Canada, no one including family pets should be left outside for too long during this time. "If it’s too cold for you to stay outside, it’s too cold for your pet to stay outside. Extreme cold warnings are issued when very cold temperatures or wind chill creates an elevated risk to health such as frostbite and hypothermia."

Cathie Bassett with the Moose Jaw Fire Department shared some tips about plugging in your vehicle a little while ago after a vehicle caught fire and the cord attached was the culprit that started the blaze. 

"The National Research Council suggests plugging in your car for colder weather two hours before you drive. CAA suggests that where places get really cold like here in Saskatchewan, sometimes two hours isn't long enough, this is especially true when it's minus 30 (degrees) for older vehicles. They recommend you plug in your car for at least four hours, now any more than that you're just wasting energy," said Bassett. 

Click here, to see a complete rundown of the forecast for the rest of the week.