Christmas Greetings everyone....
After a long break from any type of severe weather a potent storm, that gave the major blizzard to the high plains, is moving towards Ontario. The storm will past well west of our area and bring more mild air with it. Before that happens freezing rain will develop in the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Valley this afternoon and tonight. Freezing Rain Warnings have been posted for those areas. With holiday travel and shopping on deck, you are advised to proceed with caution today.

After this storm Christmas will be quiet, our attention will turn to Boxing Day and a potential east coast snowstorm. Early indications are that this storm may move close enough to the coast to dump heavy snow on the Ohio Valley, interior New England and eastern Ontario & west Quebec. It is still early but in any event plan for winter weather driving, something we have not had in some time.

Again Merry Christmas and Be Safe!

Tree damage in Kemptville

250,000 without power
at height of Storm
What an introduction to winter and the mont of December. The powerful winter storm that swept in from the southern US dumped all kinds of precipitation on Ontario and Quebec. A major ice storm in the Ottawa and Rideau Valley's cut power to almost 250,000 homes in Ontario and Quebec. The ice, in some case nearly 25mm of it, downed scores of trees across the area and east into Montreal. The damage was quite extensive with downed power lines and snapped poles. Just a walk around my property revealed tremendous tree damages.

Roads were icy from Kemptville north with many cars in the ditch Friday and Saturday morning. I even witnessed thunder and lightning in the Seaway. The two day rain total for Kemptville was over 50mm.

Power was restored to most areas by Sunday morning. We had to close down work early Friday as a result of the storm knocking out power. If that were not enough, the ice laden trees were whipped by 70-90km/h per hour winds overnight into Saturday morning.

Further west it was heavy snow across the upper Midwest and northern plains. Cold air in the back side of the storm and flurries invaded the region yesterday and today.

Ice in Kemptville Friday...

Storm Update...

The winter storm affecting portions of Ontario and Quebec today is reaching far west and south. At 12 NOON today it is at the freezing point in Kemptville with moderate rain. It is currently snowing in Renfrew and Freezing Rain in Montreal, Cornwall and Ottawa. Road surfaces in our area appear to be ice free.

To the south severe thunderstorms with some tornadic activity have sprouted up in the warm sector of the storm across Ohio and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile Blizzard conditions prevail across the upper Midwest in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The back edge of the precipitation is moving into southwest Ontario. By the supper hour the precip should begin to taper off in Kemptville and Leeds Grenville. It will last longer in Montreal. Winds will become gusty in the St. Lawrence Valley and along Lake Ontario shoreline.