How cold is it?

It's so cold here in Manitoba that one of the towns nearby had its natural gas supply line freeze up:

Temperatures took a nosedive Wednesday night; the mercury fell to the dreaded –40 C and with the wind chill, it felt like –52 C.

Residents of Stonewall, just north of Winnipeg, are especially feeling the cold. Mayor Ross Thompson says the main distribution line from Centra Gas is frozen, so natural gas is not flowing to furnaces in town.

About 1,150 Stonewall customers are without heat, including the local hospital. Manitoba Hydro, which owns Centra Gas, is working on the problem, but it could be six hours or more before the flow of gas is restored.

Mayor Thompson's own pilot light has gone out; he has this advice for Stonewall residents: "People should turn their taps on. Let the water drip through the taps so it doesn't freeze up. Use candles. Use electrical heating devices if they have them.".