Toronto shortens New Year's Eve party due to coldest weather in over 100 years

The party meant to ring in 2018 in downtown Toronto has been shorteneddue to record-setting extreme cold, city officials announced on Friday.

Nathan Phillips Square was poised to send off Canada's 150thyear on Sunday night with a big bash. The city put a freeze on some of the events that feature public skating, live musicand a fireworks display after the stroke of midnight over concerns for public health in the frigid temperatures.

"The city is taking all measures to protect the health and safety of the public, artists, volunteers and event staff," a news release issued on Friday said.

The city says the party will now begin at 11:30 p.m.and will include live music, a countdown until midnight, followed by a fireworks display.

Cold to smash 119-year-old temperature record

Although ahigh of -8C is expected Saturday, thebrief respite from the cold won't last long. Ahigh of -16 C is in store Sunday and a wind chill of -30will make it feel much colder, according to Environment Canada.

PeterKimbell, warning preparedness meteorologist for Environment Canada, predicts Sunday night'scold snap will edge into record-breaking territory bottoming out at -23 C. The previous record for this date was set in 1899, when it hit -21.1 C.

The federal weather agency also predicts an extreme cold warning will be issued Sunday morning as another blast of Arctic air moves across the province plummeting temperatures well below the seasonal mark.

"The city will continue to monitor weather conditions over the next 48 hours and make further adjustments if necessary," the release read.

But officials told reporters on Friday afternoon they will cancel the celebration if the temperature hits-20 C or colder, or if the wind picks up.

The move comes Friday after Ottawa announced some of Parliament Hill's events will been cancelled due to the deep freeze that's gripping the province and much of Canada. Charlottetown also won'thost its New Year's Eve celebrations.