Tuesday's extreme cold re-introduced Swift Current to a temperature that hadn't been reached in nearly 29 years.

Not since the last day of 1992, (when it hit -41 C) had the mercury in the city nosedived to -39.1 C or colder like it did on Tuesday at 7 a.m., a feat that also set a daily temperature record for December 28.

Natalie Hazel, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said it was a combination of a weather system and conditions that led to the bone-chilling temperatures.

"Under this ridge [of arctic air] we have a source of cold air from the north and we have an escape of heat to space [with clear skies] that leads to even colder air right at the [earth's] surface," she said. "Those two together lead to these extremely cold temperatures and a significant risk to one's health, in particular looking at frostbite and hypothermia."

Swift Current didn't just re-establish a daytime record on December 28 either, the day prior also broke a record when the temperature fell to -36.4 C.

"If you ask people who have lived on the prairies long enough, I think a lot of people will say that between Christmas and New Year's is often when the plunge happens," she said. "I'm not terribly surprised to see very cold temperatures right now, this week."

It wasn't just Swift Current that received unbearable conditions as Maple Creek hit -40.6 C on December 28 and Leader was even chillier at -42.6 C.

A small reprieve appears to be on the way temperature-wise over the weekend for Swift Current with a possible daytime high on Sunday of -4 C, however, those conditions aren't expected to last.

"A low-pressure system that forming in Alberta... Will move across southwestern Saskatchewan so your winds will change," she said. "It will still be quite cold for the next several days... But by January 2 and 3, those two days will be warmer. Unfortunately, that doesn't last very long so we do see temperatures fall back again in the first week of January only recuperating in the second week of January."

The 30-year average for temperatures this time of year in Swift Current include daytime highs of -9 C and overnight lows of -19 C.