Bundle up: Cold temperatures expected to return to B.C. this weekend

Don't put away those puffy coats and toques just yet: an Arctic air mass is forecast to return to B.C. this weekend, bringing plunging temperatures to parts of the province.

According to CBC meteorologist Johanna Wagstaffe, the air mass will begin to spread into the province on Saturday when temperatures will take a nosedive, dropping more than 10 C in one night.

In Prince George, Environment Canada is forecasting a high of 1 C on Friday, followed by -12 C on Saturday, and continuing to fall through the weekend into next week.

Wagstaffe says the cold will stick around through much of next week, but that it's uncertain when things will start to warm up again.

"At this point the cold air comes with clear skies, but it just takes one Pacific system when temperatures are this cold to bring snow," she said.

The world is still in La Niña —  a situation where equatorial Pacific waters are colder than normal — which usually means colder and snowier weather for B.C.

In La Niña years, the jet stream over North America is often shifted further north, which causes changes in temperatures, storm tracks and precipitation, especially during winter.

La Niña is expected to stick around until late winter or early spring.