An extreme cold wave swept through eastern Canada during the winter of 2026, forcing city officials to activate emergency shelters and health alerts [1, 2].
The surge of Arctic air creates a critical risk for vulnerable populations, particularly homeless individuals who lack adequate heating and shelter during temperature drops.
In Montreal and surrounding regions, city officials coordinated efforts to protect those living on the streets. Preparations for these measures began as early as Dec. 5, 2026 [1]. By Jan. 21, 2026, officials said they had heightened concern for the homeless as the cold intensified [2].
"All services are made available. Everyone is on alert. We want to make sure we cover all the streets and the camps we know," a city spokesperson said [2].
Beyond the immediate risk of hypothermia, the extreme weather created unusual environmental hazards. On Jan. 23, 2026, U.S. meteorologists warned of a risk of "tree explosions" resulting from the Arctic cold snap [3]. This phenomenon occurs when water inside a tree freezes and expands rapidly, causing the bark or the trunk to split with a loud noise.
While the cold wave severely impacted Canada, other claims of global freezes remained unsubstantiated. Reports circulated suggesting that El Niño would cause a glacial winter in France following a heatwave summer. However, the TF1Info editorial team said there was no evidence that El Niño would freeze France that winter [4].
The Canadian response focused on street-level outreach, and the expansion of temporary housing to prevent fatalities during the peak of the freeze [1, 2].
“"All services are made available. Everyone is on alert."”
The disparity between the verified crisis in Canada and the debunked claims regarding France highlights the volatility of weather-related misinformation during extreme climate events. While Arctic surges cause tangible emergency needs in North America, the application of climate patterns like El Niño to specific European forecasts often lacks scientific backing, necessitating rigorous fact-checking of meteorological predictions.
