A woman walks through a gust of blowing snow in frigid cold temperatures during winter in downtown Chicago, Illinois, January 6, 2014.
A woman walks through a gust of blowing snow in frigid cold temperatures during winter in downtown Chicago, Illinois, January 6, 2014. A blast of Arctic air gripped the mid-section of the U.S. on Monday, bringing the coldest temperatures in two decades, forcing businesses and schools to close and causing widespread airline delays and hazardous driving conditions. Meteorologists said temperatures were dangerously cold and life-threatening in some places, with 0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 Celsius) recorded in Chicago. REUTERS/Jim Young Reuters

Weather forecasters have warned Canadian citizens to brace for colder temperatures in March even as spring is fast approaching.

Environment Canada said temperatures will be colder than usual in March from Saskatchewan eastward, including Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and most of the maritime provinces. British Columbia and northern Canada will have milder than normal, while Alberta will remain seasonal.

Saskatoon residents on Thursday morning have been advised to prepare for dropping temperatures that could hit close to -40C over the next few nights as a cold, Arctic air hover across a large portion of Canada throughout the weekend.

"We don't normally see these types of conditions for this length in time but you have to respect it or it can be deadly," Troy Davies, MD ambulance spokesman, said.

David Phillips, Environment Canada's senior climatologist, said 25 percent of snowfall during winter season occurs after March 1.

"In March, after enduring four or five or six months [of cold weather], you almost feel like enough's enough," Mr Phillips said. "It's frustrating. You almost get weather rage."

Much of Canada has been affected by this year's long, bitter winter.

Toronto saw its coldest winter in 20 years, enduring an ice storm and polar vortex wind chills. The mercury dropped below -20C in a record 10 days, something which hasn't happened in the past seven years.

It was also the coldest for Winnipeg in 35 years. Even Vancouver experienced its coldest February in 25 years.

"No one has been left out of the cold," Phillips said. "It's been tough for everyone."