A time for change...

My last issue of the Kemptville Advance

Happy New Year to everyone. What a year it has been. So many changes with the roller coaster gas prices & economy and a wild weather year just for added fun. Environment Canada has released the top weather stories of 2008. You can view them at this link Top 2008 Weather Stories.

As the calender rolls over from 2008 to 2009 I am preparing to embark on another chapter in my life. I am leaving the Kemptville Advance after 8 years to move back home to Montreal. I will be sharing my time again between Quebec and Ontario as I have family in both provinces. My time here at the Advance has been wonderful, filled with awesome people and the daily excitement of a small town newsroom. Chris, Nathan, Paul, Connie, Doug, Theresa, Diana and Drew - thank you from the bottom of my heart, what a great group of co-workers. So much goes on in this community everyday. Kemptville continues to grow and I hope remain prosperous. It has a solid foundation of community groups and organizations none more valuable than the Kemptville Volunteer Fire Department. I just want to tip my hat to the guys and gals of KFD who go out in any weather and often grace the pages of our papers and this blog with their heroic efforts. Well done.

Keep supporting your local paper Kemptville - for without it you would loose an important voice. Thank you so much for all your kind words and support throughout the last 8 years. The blog goes on. I will continue to do my first passion, the weather. There will still be local weather and reports, that will not change. Check back often and drop me a line. Happy New Year to all.

Be safe, it will be clear and very cold tonight to welcome in 2009. Look for wind chills values in the -20's. It will be stormy out west and a massive snowstorm for Atlantic Canada. Ontario and most of western Quebec will remain dry. Drive safe tonight...

New Years Travel

Update 10AM: It has been a nasty morning on the roads in eastern Ontario. Gusty winds and dropping temperatures have created the ideal situation for black ice. The Kemptville Fire Department has responded to at least 5 accidents in our immediate area. All were single vehicles rolling into the ditch on the 416. The photo above is our rescue unit responding and passing by a fallen tree from Sunday's storm.

Brockville Recorder and Times photo of wind damage Sunday.

It is a silly morning along the 416 in Kemptville. The light snow overnight, about 2cm, has been driven around by 40-60km/h winds as a front races by again. The temperatures are beginning to slowly drop and this has resulted in icy roads. KFD and the OPP were called to a semi in the ditch near Oxford Station Road, this was followed by two more rollovers near Beach Road and the 416 just south of Kemptville.

Drivers need to slow down. The number of crashes and cars in the ditch this winter has been unreal. I have travelled hundreds of kilometres and trust me if you put winter tires on and adjust your speed to the weather (SUV's included!) you will arrive.

The New Years Forecast is looking more wintry then the Christmas one was. At this time we are on a conveyor belt of fast moving west to east weather systems. One this morning, another tonight and yet another on Friday. These will bring light snow and gusty winds. In between we can expect sunny and cold weather. It will drop to -15C in the light snow tonight, and not much warmer than that on Wednesday. The good news is that New Years Eve and day will be dry. Slow down, and drive safe.

Hydro One still has about 70,000 customers without power from the storm on Sunday. They were hampered by 90km/h winds again in parts of the province. It may be the balance of the week before full power is restored. The wind on Sunday not only closed the 401 in several spots but also County Road 44 in Kemptville, and Rideau River Road because of downed power lines. The Thousand Islands Bridge at Mallorytown was also closed after the wind toppled a 5th wheel from Quebec onto its side. The bridge remained closed for 5 hours.

Winds blast Ontario/Quebec

The 401 yesterday afternoon was jammed for miles after wires fell across the highway and several accidents occurred as well.

A strong cold front brought an end to the record warmth in Ontario (it was 13.5C in Kemptville) and ushered in fierce 100km/h plus winds. The winds began in Windsor early in the morning and reached us here in the east by 2pm or so. Gusts were recorded to 119km/h at Point Petre, 104km/h at Windsor, 111km/h at Wiarton, 102km/h at Cornwall, 98km/h at Brockville and 89km/h at Montreal. The result was a swath of damage, downed trees and power lines. Nearly 200,000 Hydro customers were left in the dark, many into this morning. One line fell across the 401 between Morrisburg and Iroquois. The highway was closed for several hours creating a massive traffic jam that I was stuck in for about 2 hours. Once reopened the highway had to be closed by the OPP again after accidents occurred in both directions again as a result of the wind. The 401 east was closed at Johnstown after a car rolled near the International Bridge.

All roads are opened this morning and winds have eased. Another cold front will move across the region late today with about 5cm of snow and 40-60km/h winds causing some blowing and drifting snow. That should begin after dark tonight and be over by morning. Driving could become tricky.

Severe Wind Warning

The cold air yesterday held stubbornly to the St. Lawrence Valley and Montreal. Freezing rain spread across the island of Montreal and northeast towards Quebec City and lasted till 5pm, much later than expected. Hundreds of accidents were reported on the icy roads that persisted late into the evening.

This morning is a much different story. The temperature has soared to 7C in Montreal, 11C in Kemptville and 15C in Cornwall. (Nearly 60F on December 28, a very rare event). A strong arctic cold front is on our doorstep, and it has prompted High Wind Warnings for the St. Lawrence Valley and the rest of southern Ontario and Quebec as well as Northern NY. Winds are expected to gust to 100km/h for several hours along the front. This morning so far they have reached 110km/h at Long Point on Lake Erie and 85km/h in Toronto and are spreading east. Winds of this strength are capable of damage to trees and power lines. The winds will ease later tonight. The temperature is expected to fall to the freezing point by the supper hour in most places. Some light rain is possible along the front with flurries behind it.

A weak disturbance will bring more light snow late Monday, before a cold and clear New Years Eve and Day.

Calm Boxing Day

High pressure over the area will result in a calm weather day across eastern Ontario and western Quebec today. Temperatures will be chilly around -5C with increasing clouds. Tonight deep low pressure will move from the northern Rockies across the Great Lakes and into northern Ontario. The storm will push a surge of near record warmth north into Ontario and Quebec. Rain will spread into the region tomorrow, with up to 30mm possible. Temperatures will warm to near 10C in Montreal and Ottawa. It will begin to slowly cool off on Sunday, and we will be back below freezing with a chance of some snow by Tuesday. Before the change to rain on Saturday, some spotty freezing rain is possible, especially late overnight tonight. It will quickly change to rain by morning.

The Christmas Express

The UTVIKEN from Nassau in the Bahamas rolls past Montreal in the icy seaway. This is one of the last ships in the system. The Seaway will close on Boxing day

Merry Christmas everyone...all the best to all my readers. Peace and happiness today and all year, lets be good to each other.

Boy did Santa have a wicked time last night. The wind was incredible, we are on the 8th floor in Montreal, and it sounded like a train outside our window all night. After about 20cm of snow, the temperature shot up to 7C in Montreal and 6C in Kemptville with rain Christmas Eve. Lots of water around. As the cold front moved east into our area it was accompanied by 100km/h winds in Massena and Cornwall and 80km/h winds in Montreal. The peak gust in Kemptville was only 33km/h in the sheltered Rideau Valley. The winds toppled trees and power was out in many parts of upstate New York. The wind gusted to 112MPH, yes mph on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. I am sure Santa had a fun time controlling the sled. Winds are easing today in sunshine and dropping temperatures with just a few flurries scattered about.

Boxing Day will be quiet and then we turn our attention to the next storm which will move into our area Saturday with heavy rain, over 30mm and warm temperatures. The risk of flooding will be possible. Make sure you free up drainage spouts, sewers and your rooftops of snow and ice before the heavy rain moves in.

Be safe today...all the best.

Less than Peaceful Forecast

Thank you Vicki for the drawing, she nailed it perfectly. Visit her website at Act of Imagination

Let me start by saying Merry Christmas. Secondly, welcome to the weather roller coaster, strap in, it is going to be a rough ride. We have had 10-15cm of snow overnight across most regions in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. This will gradually transition to a mix of precipitation as warmer air moves in from the south. Gradually all precipitation will change to light rain as temperatures warm above freezing. The freezing rain may be stubborn in the Ottawa Valley and north of Montreal as the cold air is more difficult to move out. The warmth will be short lived as a strong cold front sweeps across Ontario and then Quebec from late afternoon into the overnight. The front will be accompanied by fierce winds of 50-80km/h which could prompt warnings and even cause a little Christmas morning power failure in places. Christmas Day will be calm with temperatures falling towards -10C. A cold night Thursday night will be followed by a big warm up into Saturday with more rain and temperatures well above freezing. The ride will end Sunday as temperatures return to normal and the storm track flattens and gives us a break for a day or two.

Merry Christmas and please drive safe, give yoursel plenty of timetoday and tonight.

Christmas Travel Forecast

UPDATE 4PM: Warm air advection is causing an area of light snow to break out well ahead of the main band of snow from Montreal to Cornwall. Travel remains good in that area but is deteriorating west of Kingston towards Toronto. Look for snow tonight, between 5-15cm in most areas changing to rain with freezing rain in eastern Ontario by mid-day Wednesday. Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories remain posted through Christmas Eve.

UPDATE 11:00AM: Winter Storm Watch issued for Kemptville and Eastern Ontario for 10-15cm of snow tonight and then freezing rain into Wednesday afternoon

Merry Christmas everyone... I wish I had better news in the weather department, but one word comes to mind, messy. After a dry and cold day yesterday we are looking at increasing clouds this morning, with the leading edge of the next system already into southwestern Ontario. Environment Canada has posted winter storm watches for parts of the province along the 401 with winter weather advisories in effect in New York and Vermont. Nothing has been posted yet for eastern Ontario or Quebec. Travel will become poor later tonight.

Look for light snow to reach Kemptville by this evening and continue overnight before mixing with and changing to sleet and freezing rain, and eventually rain. The temperature will continue to rise from our low this morning of -26C towards plus 6C or so by late in the day Wednesday. Then it will drop again for Christmas Day with any precipitation changing back to flurries. It will also be breezy with this system especially along the Seaway. Most areas will see 5-10cm of snow before the change to mixed precipitation.

At this time Christmas Day looks mild at 0C with just a few flurries. Sadly all that wonderful powder we have will be soaked with rain and then freeze up. Be careful sledding or skiing.

Beyond Christmas Day, Boxing Day looks dry and chilly before another system is forecast to bring more mild air and rain by the weekend.

Brief break in the action

The weather is sunny and windy and cold this morning with north winds gusting over 30km/h in most areas and -15C in Kemptville. They are approaching 50km/h in Ottawa with drifting snow and cold wind chills. Look for a dry day today albeit cold and windy. Tuesday should be very pleasant with temperatures moderating and abundant sunshine. It is the best travel day of the week.

Another low pressure area in the parade of storms will move down the St. Lawrence Valley on Christmas Eve. This storm will have milder air with it and the potential for a rain-snow mix in places does exist. It will be a close call with some of our reading area getting snow while others the mix. Look for about 10cm of snow in most regions before the mix arrives. Freezing rain is possible as well. Travel will become poor again as it has been since Thursday in many parts of the country.

From west to east the first day of winter yesterday was marked by heavy snow, blizzards and cold. Vancouver is buried under 25cm of snow as is most of New Brunswick. Only coastal areas of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia are snow free at this time. The rest of the country and well into the northern 1/3rd of the US will have a white Christmas.

Yesterday Kemptville had 15-20cm of snow. The photos are a small sample of what I took yesterday during the storm...be safe. An update on the rest of the weeks weather will be posted later today.

Storm Update

A dry slot has worked into the region after a general 15cm snowfall occurred in most regions of southern and eastern Ontario. This is temporary as a burst of steady snow remains to our southwest and will move into the area shortly. Winds will also increase from the north and northwest producing considerable blowing and drifting snow tonight. If you must travel do so carefully as roads are snow covered and slippery and visibility may be reduced.

Strong winds and snow...just another Sunday

NOON Update: Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect - Here are some pictures I took this morning. The snow continues to fall heavily in the Kemptville region. We have had close to 10cm this morning, winds are gusting out of the northeast with low visibility and nasty driving conditions. The snow will continue all afternoon with another 10cm expected. Winds will increase out of the northwest at 40-60km/h.

SNOW

Snowy and windy folks, a great day to stay inside, or close to home. The snow started just seconds ago in Kemptville and it is quickly becoming heavy with gusty northeast winds and blowing snow. Warnings are in effect for all our travel regions from Toronto into eastern Quebec and south into the northern portions of New York and most of New England. The culprit is a double low pressure area one in the lower lakes and the second moving up the east coast. The two will deliver 15-25cm of snow today with close to 30cm in southern Quebec. Winds are already gusting to 50km/h in Montreal and a little lower in Ontario. As the cold front on the back edge of the Great Lakes storm moves into southern Ontario later this morning, winds will increase from the southwest along Lake Ontario and the Seaway and increase to between 50 and 70km/h causing very poor visibilities in blowing and drifting snow. They will remain lighter in the 416 corridor. It is very cold as well with wind chills in the -20's

Next update by noon with photos I hope!

Heavy snow on the way

Storm 2 in Kemptville last night. The wind was strong and blew around the 5-10cm of snow.

Low pressure developing over the southern US will rapidly strengthen as it heads for New Brunswick on Sunday. This storm will produce heavy snow in the St. Lawrence Valley and along the north shore of Lakes Ontario and Erie. The snow will begin Sunday by noon and continue into Monday morning. Winds will become a factor as well gusting over 50km/h all along the 401 from Windsor to the Quebec border, and eastward along highway 20 towards Quebec City. The snow will accumulate from 15-25cm in all areas with considerable blowing and drifting. Winter Storm Warnings have been posted for all of southern and eastern Ontario, southern Quebec, Vermont and New York. Travel will be greatly impacted Sunday. If you can delay your plans avoid travel till at least Monday morning.

Another Winter Storm

Storm number three in the parade of winter storms is about to move into our regions. Yesterdays system was potent with between 10-30cm falling from Windsor to Ottawa. About 10cm fell in Kemptville, and it was blown around by strong winds. Last evening driving was very challenging across the entire area. Several highways including the 401 had to be closed because of major accidents. Conditions are better today, the wind has eased and the snow is over with the exception of a few flurries. Roads remain snow covered and slippery, caution is advised.

The next system has prompted Winter Storm Warnings for most regions from northern New York across northern Vermont and into southern Quebec including Montreal. That region is expecting between 15-25cm of snow with strong winds, beginning mid day Sunday and ending Monday morning. Our area is still under a Watch. I imagine that will upgraded at some time today once the snow totals can be nailed down a bit better. In any event Sunday will be snowy and windy with very poor travel.

Many airports in the east including Pearson are rushing to accommodate the back log of flights from yesterdays storm. Call ahead if you are flying out today. Drive safely. My next update will be before 6pm today.

Snowy & Cold

UPDATE: Blowing Snow Warning has been issued for Kemptville, Ottawa and region. Snow and gusty northeast winds are reducing visibility on area highways, and will till later this evening when the snow tapers off.



At left - Kemptville at 2:30pm today...



The snow has started in Kemptville and with the gusty winds it is quite miserable out there. Look for steady snow well into the evening with between 5-10cm falling. It is very cold as well. The northeast winds have lowered temperatures to -18C in Montreal and -16C in Kemptville and Ottawa. Wind chills are close to -30C.

IMPORTANT Travel Weather

NOON UPDATE: The storm is well underway in southern Ontario with bursts of heavy snow along the 401 and very strong winds. Winds have gusted to 86km/h at Long Point on Lake Erie and 74km/h at Burlington. The snow is now as far east as Kingston and will begin this afternoon in Kemptville. Look for steady snow, gusty winds and biting cold this afternoon into this evening.

• From earlier today: Well it is getting very close to Christmas, and this is a big shopping and travel weekend. Lets get right into the weather. Strong low pressure over Illinois today will race to New York City and into the Atlantic. This storm will push a wide swath of snow and brisk winds into the region today. The worst travel will be from Kingston west to Windsor and south into New York State and New England. Warnings are in place for those areas with 15-25cm expected. Kemptville, Ottawa and Montreal will remain on the northern edge of the winter storm. The weather will be cold with gusty northeast winds and anywhere from 5-10cm of snow, the least north and more south.

Saturday will be an ideal travel day, sunny, cold and dry.

Sunday will be very poor again with another major storm producing heavy snow in all regions with strong winds. Look for 10-20cm for that storm.

Monday looks decent again before yet another storm takes shape for late Tuesday into Christmas Eve.

I will update the blog often this weekend, also the links on the left are current and provide lots of additional information.

Happy Holidays and be safe....

Snow Friday...storm Sunday

Ok so here it is, I just finished reading several different forecast products from a couple of weather offices on both sides of the border and I am going to try and sum up the next couple of days. First of all I will not use big, stupid words like some of the weather offices in, oh lets say Toronto did yesterday. Why scare the public for no reason. This is snow people, slow down and plan ahead, we will make it.

So the first system now looks like it will travel well south of us on Friday. After a partly sunny and chilly day today, clouds will increase Friday with snow developing from southwest to northeast by noon. Look for 5-15cm from Ottawa to the Seaway, with more closer to Lake Ontario. Winds will be gusty out of the northeast and it will be a raw and chilly day.

Saturday looks like the best day with sunshine, breezy and quite cold. The next storm will move from the Ohio Valley to southern Ontario Sunday and spread heavy snow with strong winds all along the 401 corridor towards Montreal. This storm has the potential to produce more than 20cm of snow. It is still early but the forecast models are pointing to that scenario.

That will be followed by decent days both Monday & Tuesday before another storm tales shape for Christmas Eve. Temperatures will remain cold throughout the period in Ontario, Quebec, New York and New England.

Major snowstorm coming

7-10cm fell in Kemptville overnight.

This mornings snow has passed well south and east of Kemptville this afternoon. About 10cm generally fell across the are with a little less in Ottawa and a little more along the Seaway. The snow was accompanied by some gusty winds with some drifting reported. Tomorrow will be a quiet day before the onslaught of storms begin, just prior to the busiest travel week of the year.

Low pressure is expected to develop in the southern US plains and move northeast towards the Great Lakes. The perfect ingredients will be in place for a big winter storm, that is a solid pool of arctic air with very warm moist air streaming north from the US. The snow, combined with strong winds will develop late Thursday near Windsor and spread east Friday towards Montreal by late in the day. The potential exists for 15cm or more of snow. Once that system passes an even stronger storm is forecast to take a very similar path with at least 15cm more of snow and maybe even 30cm in places. It is early in the forecast so lets deal with Friday's storm first. Look for Winter Storm Watches to be hoisted within the next 15 to 18 hours for this region and all of southern Ontario. Prepare now for severe winter weather this weekend and plan your driving accordingly.

Clipper on the way

I am watching two storm systems that promise to replace all the snow that melted away with yesterdays rain and plus 9C weather. A clipper system from the Midwest will give 5-10cm of snow across the region tonight and Wednesday. No warnings have been issued with this storm here in Ontario, but a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for upstate New York. Snow will overspread the area from west to east tonight and continue into the early afternoon Wednesday. Once this system passes we are watching another more potent storm for Friday. More on that later today. Drive safe....

Thunderstorms in December

11am UPDATE: Don't be too surprised if you hear the rumble of thunder today. Some decent thunderstorms have developed along the arctic boundary that is slipping across Ontario and New York. Very strong winds are developing ahead of the front. To show you how dynamic this front is, parts of Oklahoma yesterday went from 27C down to 0C (80 to 32F) in just a few hours. Today it is plus 11C in Toronto at 11am and -20C in Thunder Bay. Windsor is already down to 2C with 60km/h winds. Be prepared for damaging winds today and dropping temperatures in Ontario and Quebec.

Icy Roads

Freezing rain on Riverside in Ottawa at 3:30pm Sunday. Photo SB

I am rarely caught by surprise when it comes to weather, but I was last night. I was driving back from Ottawa when the snow turned to freezing rain. The freezing rain was steady and heavy in places and iced up the roads quickly. Despite it being above freezing when I left Kemptville, the Ottawa region was still well below freezing with a light northeast wind. It has since warmed up to well above freezing but not before a dozen accidents including a fatal collision at Albion and Rideau in rural south end Ottawa occurred late Sunday afternoon.

Please slow down, it is going to be a very unsettled week with mild air being replaced by cold air again and plenty of opportunities for roads to ice up. There will also be several rounds of snow this week, and it will be very cold next week up to Christmas.

• In other weather news, roads are still closed across the Dakotas, Montana and some in Saskatchewan after a fierce blizzard over the weekend created zero visibility and high drifts. It is frigid as well with wind chills below -40C, and as cold as -60 in places.

• Hydro Quebec has sent down 25 teams of linemen to New Hampshire to help restore power after last weeks ice storm. Nearly 1 million people were left without power after nearly an inch of freezing rain fell. 9 counties in Massachusetts have been declared federal disaster areas as well as several in southern New Hampshire. Power is expected to be restored by weeks end but workers are being hampered by thousands of downed trees.

Active Week Ahead

After a cold Saturday, temperatures have moderated significantly over the past 24 hours. Kemptville was -25C yesterday morning and -1C currently. The temperature rose throughout the night in response to deep low pressure over Wisconsin and a warm front across the Great Lakes. The warm air will be in our region for about 36 hours with temperatures rising to nearly 8C in our area. It will be short lived as much colder air moves in on Tuesday. The balance of the week will be unsettled with snow expected on Wednesday and again Friday. It is too early to say how much will fall in Ontario and Quebec, but it could be more than 5cm. The temperatures will be fairly seasonable all week with the really cold arctic air remaining to our west. Looking briefly into Christmas week it looks cold and snowy, so I am going to go out on a limb and predict a white Christmas for Kemptville, Ottawa and Montreal. Maybe even Toronto may get in on the act, but that would only be very close to Christmas Day. Stay tuned!

New Hampshire/Mass Ice Storm

Here are a few Boston Globe pictures of the mess in southern interior New England. Ten of thousands are without power and damage is widespread from freezing rain.

Prairie Blizzard - East Coast Storm

Low pressure near New York City this morning continues to generate snow just south of Kemptville along the St. Lawrence Valley. 10-15cm is expected from Cornwall to Montreal with only 2-4cm here in Kemptville. The storm will race off to the Maritimes today with freezing rain and snow for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Significant snow and ice has occurred in Vermont, New York and New Hampshire overnight. Radar at 7am is showing light snow just south of Kemptville along the 416. All precip will be over by noon.

Meanwhile all the conditions are coming together for a fierce, life threatening blizzard in southern Saskatchewan and northern Montana tonight and Saturday. This is a direct quote from the National Weather service office in Glasgow, Montana;

"TRAVELING ACROSS NORTHEAST MONTANA SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED AND COULD BE PUTTING YOUR LIFE AT RISK."

Low pressure will move across Montana and generate 10-20cm of snow across that area and southern Sask. Meanwhile temperatures will plummet into thew -20's with winds increasing to over 70km/h. Dangerous wind chills and near zero visibility is expected Saturday. All travel should be avoided south of the Trans Canada Highway in southern Saskatchewan tonight and Saturday. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect with a Blizzard Watch.

Another Winter Storm

AP Photo of snow in New Orleans this morning.

The strong storm system that brought snow to the deep south last night has moved to Mississippi this afternoon. North of the storm a wide swath of snow and rain has moved as far as New York and Vermont. The storm is forecast to move through New England into Friday. Forecasters have now extended the warnings for heavy snow north and west towards the St. Lawrence River. Look for a period of steady snow even in Kemptville overnight. I feel just a few centimetres will fall here but as much as 10-15cm could fall from Cornwall to Montreal with 15-25cm along the south shore of Montreal towards Burlington, Vermont and Plattsburgh, NY. Travel will be very poor into Quebec and south into the US overnight and into Friday morning. Gusty northeast winds will produce blowing snow all along the 401 and Quebec highway 20 east into Montreal.

The Maritimes will also be hit with this storm with a prolonged period of freezing rain in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Roads remain poor

An icy sunset yesterday afternoon in Kemptville. Photo SB

The combination of ice build up from the snow and freezing rain yesterday and the extreme cold this morning has resulted in icy and snow packed roads across may areas in eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. Temperatures were as cold as -20 in Kemptville this morning. Nearly 20cm of snow fell in Kemptville with close to 30cm in both Montreal and Ottawa. The snow was mixed with sleet and a prolonged period of freezing rain, especially in the St. Lawrence Valley. The ice resulted in nearly 60,000 Hydro customers loosing power in Quebec.

Our attention now turns to another major storm that is moving up the eastern seaboard from the Gulf States. Snow has been reported as far south as Houston and New Orleans. The system will move up the east coast and send heavy snow and ice inland over New England and into southern and eastern Quebec. 15-25cm of snow is forecast for Vermont with amounts trailing off quickly north and west. As the storm moves south and east of Ontario tonight we may see a little light snow along the Seaway, possibly a few centimetres in eastern Ontario and as much as 10cm in southern Quebec. Winds will increase out of the northeast and it will be raw and cold tonight and Friday.

The ice brought down trees and power lines in Montreal. Gazette Photo

The weekend will be milder by Sunday with showers possibly on Monday. If you are travelling south this weekend be prepared for a major ice and snow storm along the east coast of the US.

Poor Travel

Mercier Bridge Traffic Cam in Montreal this morning tells the whole story...

Kemptville Mall in the ice and steady snow at 6:45am this morning.

Very poor travel conditions prevail across eastern Ontario and western Quebec at this hour. The cold air just never moved out yesterday and the precipitation remained frozen. The very dense arctic air remained in place and the best we could do in Kemptville was -4C at midnight. It has since dropped to -7C. In the snow department, a good 20cm has accumulated across the region. In Kemptville we also had several hours of freezing rain that deposited about 5mm of ice on top of the snow. It has since changed back to steady snow. The storm has forced cancellation of all school buses in Eastern Ontario including Ottawa. Add to that the OC Transpo strike - nice timing guys - and we are experiencing a very difficult travel morning. All highways are snow covered and very icy. The back edge of precipitation is about two hours away so expect the snow to taper off shortly. Winds are gusty and temperatures are dropping again. As a matter of fact the warm air made it as close as the US/Canada border but no further. In the last hour Highgate, Vermont, on the border has dropped over 8 degrees back well below freezing. Winter Storm Warnings remain posted for all regions with Winter Weather Advisories south of the border in St. Lawrence County.

In Montreal traffic is terrible. The Victoria Bridge to the south shore is closed this morning due to ice build up adding to the woes. My gal left work last night at 5:45pm from downtown, and a 20 minute trip took almost three hours. Today numerous schools are closed, and there are reports of sporadic power outages due to the ice and snow.

Winter Storm continues

Low pressure nearing Lake Ontario will continue to slide over our region tonight. Heavy snow has accumulated from 10-20cm over most parts of the 416 corridor north into Ottawa and east into Montreal. The cold air remained well entrenched in the valley allowing for more snow and less liquid precipitation than first expected. Radar at 6:30 is still showing steady precip for the next several hours in our area. Look for snow and freezing rain to continue until well after midnight. The temperatures are critical at this hour 0C in Brockville, -5C in Kemptville and -9C in Ottawa. Drive with great care or wait till tomorrow to travel.

Winter Storm Warning

1:30pm Update: The Winter Storm Warnings have been extended to the Kemptville, Leeds and Grenville Region. All of Eastern Ontario is now under a warning.

Steady snow continues to fall at 1:30pm with about 5-7cm on the ground. Most regions can expect another 10-20cm of snow, mixed with freezing rain. The precipitation will be heavy at times and continue well into the overnight period. The warm air will be very close to Kemptville. It is currently plus 4C in Kingston but -8C in Kemptville. Winds are causing blowing snow along the 416 as well.


Winter Storm Warnings have been posted from the ski country north of Toronto near Georgian Bay eastward through the National Capital District and the Ottawa Valley and across the regions north of Montreal and the St. Lawrence River. Low pressure over Missouri will rapidly move down the St. Lawrence River with heavy snow falling to the north of the storm track, and a mix of precipitation along the track. Milder air and some rain will occur south of the low along the St. Lawrence River and 401 corridor. Where the precipitation remains as snow close to 20cm is expected. Look for around 15cm in Ottawa and 5-10cm in Kemptville before it mixes with sleet and freezing rain. Travel will be difficult in the region and east into Quebec for the next 24-36 hours. Cold air remains in place in Kemptville this morning with snow falling and -12C. It will warm close to the freezing mark here by days end.

Brrrrrrr its Frigid

What a freezing cold morning it was across Ontario and Quebec. Temperatures were running over 15 degrees below normal bottoming out at -21C in Kemptville. We actually had a windchill of -29C at midnight. Winds have since eased and the temperature has "warmed" to -15C with a windchill of -19C.

A very difficult forecast lies ahead of us. Low pressure developing over the plains will move towards the Great Lakes and become a potent storm. It will move down the St. Lawrence Valley on Wednesday. Ahead of the system warm air will surge into the region from the south and override the cold air at the surface. Snow and freezing rain is expected to develop on Tuesday and switch to rain late in the day and then back over to snow late Wednesday. It could become very mild south and east of the storm while areas west of the track will remain cold with heavy snow. There is still lots of uncertainty with this system and I will provide an update on the forecast later today. Anybody traveling in Ontario or Quebec the next couple of days should pay attention to the forecast and prepare for changeable winter weather.

Arctic air pours in

Eastern Ontario this afternoon... Blowing Snow near Manotick and a twisted Kemptville road sign knocked over by the cold winds along the 416.

After several centimetres of snow overnight a strong arctic front raced through the region this morning. Behind the front winds are gusting over 50km/h across the region and the temperature is plummeting. At 10am this morning Kemptville was -2C we are now -10C with a northwest wind of 50km/h and a windchill of -20C. It will dip down to -20C tonight. Roads are slippery and visibility is reduced in blowing snow in many areas.

Snowy weekend

It amazes me some times just how influential the Great Lakes can be to our weather here in North Grenville. The picture above was taken around 8:20 this morning and shows a steady plume of snow in our area caused my a streamer off Lake Ontario. Theses bands of snow are occurring ahead of the main area of precipitation associated with an Alberta Clipper racing east. The bulk of the snow, 5-10cm, will fall tonight and Sunday. Roads will be snow covered and slippery this morning and again late tonight and Sunday. Plan your travels accordingly. The snow will affect mainly eastern Ontario this morning but the clipper system will provide the 5-10cm area wide including Montreal. In addition to the snow, strong gusty winds from the southwest and then northwest will lower visibilities on Sunday. Temperatures will plummet Sunday night to near -18C as the coldest air this season moves in.

SNOW below normal temperatures

It will be a wintry weekend in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. A cold front has ushered in some mid-January temperatures. We are currently -9C in Kemptville, and I don't expect it will get much warmer than -4C today with a chilly breeze at times. Closer to the Great Lakes some snow will occur with up to 10cm forecast for parts of western New York and midwest Ontario.

A clipper system will move into the region on Saturday with light snow beginning late in the day and moving east overnight and into Sunday. Most regions will see from 5-10cm of snow. That will be followed by another shot of cold air for Monday and yest another system with snow for Tuesday. The balance of next week looks unsettled as well. The one thing that is certain is it will be chilly, so most of the precipitation will be snow. Winter is here so make sure your car is ready and slow down.

Colder weather

Much colder weather is on our doorstep this morning. It is well above freezing in the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Valley's this morning with temperatures around 4C. A strong cold front is just to our west and will move through the region by noon. Any leftover precipitation will switch to flurries and arctic air will surge in. Look for the temperature to fall below freezing this afternoon and drop to -14C tonight. This cold air will remain well into next week with frequent periods of light snow over the weekend. Only major accumulations are expected around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and east of Lake Ontario in upstate NY. Our region can expect 3-5cm of snow, in total, for the entire weekend. Drive safe today as the commute home may be icy in places.

Colder Air on the Way

A brief warm up is expected tomorrow before the coldest air of the season surges into eastern Ontario and western Quebec on Thursday. I expect some light rain and snow showers with the passage of the front late tomorrow and Thursday morning before changing to all snow and tapering off. Thursday will be windy and colder with numerous snow squalls in Ontario and dropping temperatures to well below -10C at night. We can expect another round of heavy lake effect snow in the traditional snow belts of southern Ontario and northern and western New York. Well over a foot of snow may fall in those regions beginning Thursday and Friday. More on that tomorrow. For the short term just a few scattered flurries tonight with temperatures around -3C.

This morning a surprise shot of snow developed along the 417 corridor west of Ottawa and moved through the city and then eastward while dissipating. A few quick centimetres lead to numerous accidents in the region including 16 in Ottawa alone. No snow fell here in Kemptvile as the burst of activity remained well north of the region. The snow was caused by a trough of low pressure moving rapidly east. The balance of today was fair but chilly with a gusty northwest wind.

Precipitation tapers off

It appears the bulk of the precipitation has moved northeast of the area this morning and most locations in the Seaway including Montreal and Kemptville are above freezing. While spotty freezing rain may still occur in pockets, I imagine that most of the warnings and advisories will be lowered shortly. The balance of the day will be mild with scattered showers or flurries. It will be windy as well. The next chance for any icing up of the roads will not occur until late the evening as the temperature approaches 0C again.

Tomorrow and Wednesday will be quiet before another storm system from western Canada brings a threat for snow by Thursday. It will also turn much colder into the weekend.

**Current radar is showing one more line of steady precipitation moving towards the 416 corridor at 7am this should pass through within the next hour or so.

Winter Storm Warning

Harnessing the wind in advance of this latest storm some creative enthusiasts enjoy Sunday afternoon near the Beauharnois locks in southern Quebec.

Low pressure over Indiana with a secondary storm taking shape along the Atlantic coast is combining to produce heavy precipitation tonight in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. The snow has begun in Kemptville as of 7pm, and we are at 0C and under a Winter Storm Warning. Most of southern Ontario is expecting similar conditions tonight with a period of steady snow, followed by mixed precipitation. Snowfall totals will range from 5cm in the GTA to 25cm in the upper Ottawa Valley and along the shores of Lake Huron. In southern Quebec snow and sleet will change to an extended period of Freezing Rain by early Monday. South of the border, heavy mixed precipitation is occurring over northern New York and Vermont with rain further south. Winds are also expected to increase from the Northeast up to 50km/h tonight especially along the 401 corridor. Some blowing snow is possible. Travel will be very difficult for the Monday commute.

Winter Storm Watch

A nasty winter storm is moving in from the US this afternoon. One low pressure area is located over the Great Lakes while the second is developing along the east coast. The twin system will spread a wide area of steady precipitation from south to north as the evening and overnight period wears on. By morning steady freezing rain is expected in many parts of the province including Kemptville. Look for the precipitation to begin as snow late tonight and transition to freezing rain and then rain by mid morning Monday. Roads will become icy and travel poor tonight. A Winter Storm Watch in in effect for all of eastern and southern Ontario as well as Winter Weather Advisories for New York and Vermont. Over 25mm of ice, rain and snow is expected. Areas in the upper Ottawa Valley may see 20cm of snow as well as the northern Laurentians. The St. Lawrence Valley including Montreal will see more ice and rain than snow. Freezing Rain Warnings are out for those regions.

Next storm update by 7pm tonight.

Lake effect snow across the river

Kemptville this morning. My tree was the first to turn color and will be the last to stubbornly let go of its leaves.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our American friends. Travel for the most part in our region is good today. We had a couple of inches of wet sticky snow overnight in Kemptville but most of that has melted off the roads. You will need lots of washer fluid but that should be it for the snow in our area. It is not the case just south of the St. Lawrence River in Jefferson and southern St. Lawrence County in NY. Heavy lake snows are moving off the eastern end of Lake Ontario. Spotters have reported from 10-15 inches of snow in those areas. Visibility is low and travel very difficult along roads west of county road 58 along US 37 into Watertown. The snow will continue into the evening hours before tapering off.

The next weather system will be a weak front that brings scattered rain and snow showers to all of southern Ontario and western Quebec on Friday. Saturday will be fair before a major storm takes shape over Ohio and affects our region late Sunday and Monday. More on that later.

More light snow

I love this from from Accu-Weather.com - the US Thanksgiving forecast!
Works for me!

On the eve of the US Thanksgiving snow continues to fall across eastern Ontario and into western Quebec this afternoon. Heavier snow is also falling along I-81 from the Thousand Islands south into Watertown. A snow advisory is in effect in Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties where up to 20cm may fall tonight. Elsewhere outside the advisory area look for about 2-5cm of wet snow. Travel is slippery and visibility reduced in all our regions at this hour.

Another clipper system is expected to give light snow and rain on Friday before a more intense system threatens the region by weeks end. More on that Thursday.

Slick Roads

KFD responding in the snow to a vehicle roll over at km marker 28 on the 416.

The temperature in Kemptville has dropped to 0C at 5pm and the light wet snow that has been falling most of the day is beginning to stick. KFD have responded to several cars in the ditch on the 416, and the OPP are advising that you slow down. A mix of rain and snow will continue for the evening and overnight hours, with another 5-10cm forecast. Doppler radar shows steady light snow falling from Ottawa to Montreal and along the Seaway at this hour.

Mixed Precipitation

Kemptville this morning.

A mix of light rain and wet snow continues in Kemptville this morning. About 7cm has fallen here in town with more to the north and less to the south. Roads are slushy in most cases with the temperature at or just above freezing. The system causing the snow is rather complex with several areas of weak low pressure from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Coast. The light precipitation will continue all day and into the evening with several more centimetre of wet snow possible. Travel with caution and allow yourself extra time today. It will not clear before Thursday.

Snow spreading east

Steady wet snow has started in Kemptville at 8pm and is overspreading eastern Ontario. The snow will continue to increase in aerial coverage and intensity over the course of the evening and into the overnight with 5-10cm expected in most regions. The upper Ottawa Valley and the Laurentians could see close to 20cm by the end of Tuesday. It will be a mixed precipitation event along the St. Lawrence River with less accumulations - under 5cm - expected. Roads will become slippery in all regions with lowering visibilities tonight. Winds are gusting out of the Northeast and will increase in speed to over 50km/h on Tuesday. Low pressure over the lower Great Lakes will move into northern New York overnight, and then slowly north into Quebec.

Wintry Week Ahead

From ctv.ca Crews clear Halifax streets from more than 30cm of wet snow.

Kemptville, Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec remained sandwiched between weather systems this past weekend with heavy lake snows to our west and the first big coastal snowstorm for the Atlantic coast to our east. Many towns in the maritimes including Halifax had close to 30cm of wind driven heavy wet snow from a nor'easter over the weekend. Roads were closed and the disturbing pattern of drivers being stranded in there cars so far this winter season continued. Road crews were slow to respond and numerous drivers had to spend a long night trapped in their cars. The same scenario had played out along the 402 in Ontario late last week, but by all accounts that situation was caused by unprecedented snowfall rates and not poor plowing.

This week we are awaiting low pressure that is getting organized in the Ohio valley. The storm is expected to intensify as it moves to lie near Brockville by Wednesday. It will be a slow moving system with precipitation and wind occurring from late today into Thursday morning. Early indications are that close to an inch of precipitation will occur with this storm. It translates into 10-20cm of wet snow for most areas with more rain than snow along the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. The precipitation with this storm will be very elevation and temperature dependant with lots of mild air accompanying the storm. Expect very changeable weather and road conditions, plan to drive slowly this week and adjust your speed and distance.

Snow forecast:

Kemptville: 5-10cm

Brockville: 5cm

Ottawa & The Valley: 10-20cm

Montreal: 5cm

76cm of snow

From CityTV, Grand Bend, Ontario on Lake Huron.

Arkona, Ontario is the snow champion today with 76cm of new lake effect snow on the ground and counting. Most of Lambton County has experienced heavy lake effect snow from Lake Huron with motorists stranded on the 402 between London and Sarnia. Snow was falling at the incredible rate of 5-8cm per hour overnight and the OPP gave in to mother nature at around 3am closing a stretch of the 402. Some motorists were trapped for over 15 hours. The heaviest snow has shifted slightly east now and is affecting London north to Collingwood and Barrie. Travel in this area is not advised.

The rest of Ontario will remain cold this weekend with a spell of steady snow arriving from west to east late Sunday night and Monday. It could be a general 5-10cm in most regions including Kemptville.

Meanwhile heavy snow warnings are in place for portions of Nova Scotia, PEI and New Brunswick as a strong coastal storm brings snow and strong winds to the region late tonight and Saturday.

30-50cm of Lake Effect Snow

A contrail from an airplane lines the sky in Kemptville this morning, as the sun rises through high clouds generated by the Alberta Clipper.

A Lake Effect Snow Warning is in effect for the counties around the Great Lakes from NY to Michigan and in Ontario from Windsor through London towards Barrie. An Alberta Clipper dropped 5-10cm of snow last night in southwest Ontario and has raced south into the US. On the backside of this system strong northerly winds will flow across the open waters of Lake Huron, Ontario and Erie and generate very impressive bands of heavy lake effect snow. Over 30cm is a real possibility in Ontario and New York with some locations approaching 50cm. Travel in southwest Ontario along the 400 series of highways and north from Toronto towards Barrie and points west to Georgian Bay may become very difficult if not impossible over the next 24 hours.

Cold weather continues

A damp cold continues in Kemptville this afternoon with a mix of clouds and sun and a chilly breeze. We remain well below freezing at -3C after an overnight low of -9C. An Alberta clipper is expected to remain southwest of our area tonight and give a general 5-10cm snowfall to the GTA and points north towards Lake Huron. We should only have a few flurries and a wind shift here in Kemptville. We can expect another shot of cold air to move into the area Thursday and last well into the weekend. Overnight lows will be as cold as -13C with daytime highs no warmer than -4C. Bundle Up....

A sure sign of the seasons is pictured below.... No not the snow, or the cold or the stores decorated for Christmas packed with shoppers. I know the season has changed when the Tim Horton's Christmas coffee cups are out...now it feels like the Holidays are coming!

Squalls in Kemptville

This 3pm squall left roads snow covered and icy in Kemptville.

A very cold and unstable air mass continues to establish itself across Ontario this afternoon. The cold air is generating numerous snow flurries and squalls. The heaviest snow has been confined to the Great Lakes where 30-60cm has fallen. This afternoon some steady snow has been falling also along highway 15 between the 417 and Kingston and also along the 416 corridor towards Kemptville. Roads have become slippery and in many cases snow covered. Drive with extreme caution on the way home today. The flurries in Kemptville will taper with the setting of the sun.

Cold week ahead

Strong winds and snow squalls in the Seaway near Cornwall on Sunday

Cold arctic air continues to pour into Ontario behind this weekends rain. Nearly 25mm of rain fell in Kemptville over the weekend with very strong winds over 50km/h. I drove home yesterday along the 401 and it was like a giant hand kept pushing my car off to the side. Winds along the Seaway were even stronger gusting over 60km/h.

The winds have ushered in the coldest air so far this season. Temperatures will likely not rise above 0C all week. The wind and cold has also turned on the Great Lakes snow machine. Nearly 20 inches of snow has piled up in parts of northeast Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. In Ontario over 25cm has fallen from north of Sarnia towards Grey/Bruce, Barrie and London. Travel in these areas is difficult as it is south of us along Interstate 81 between Watertown and Syracuse. The heavy lake snow will continue today with another 25cm possible from Barrie to London.

This morning some light snow showers have made there way into Kemptville and the 416 corridor, putting a light coating on area roads. Travel with care today. The snow should end shortly but scattered flurries will continue closer to the Seaway and Lake Ontario.

Major weather changes on the way...

A brilliant sun sets over Glengarry County, Ontario along the Quebec border, on possibly the last mild day of the year. The second photo is of fog this morning in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Believe it or not a ship in the photo is blowing its fog horn.

Big changes are in store for Ontario and Quebec beginning today. This morning is mild and foggy in the St. Lawrence Valley with a light southerly breeze. Low pressure is developing over southern Ohio and will spread north into Quebec. On the back side of this system the coldest air of this season will establish itself in the region.

Heavy rain on radar this morning will overspread eastern Ontario shortly with accumulations of 20-40mm forecast in our region. It will be all rain today but as the cold air moves in Sunday the rain showers will change to snow showers from west to east. Along the western edge of the storm a general snowfall of 10-20cm is expected from Deep River north through Algonquin Park and into the Pontiac region of Quebec. Heavy Snow warnings are in place for those regions. Accompanying all precipitation will be strong east winds that will back to the northwest Sunday and gust from 40-60km/h.

Any travel west of a line from Renfrew south and west towards the Lake Huron and Georgian Bay area should be done with caution. Once the cold air moves in late Sunday it will remain with us with lake effect snow possible in Ontario and New York. An Alberta Clipper is forecast to move through the region early in the week with some light snow in all regions. Be ready for winter driving this week.

Rain then SNOW

I would enjoy today. Weak high pressure will nudge into our area behind yesterdays warm front and will give the area a partly cloudy day with temperatures approaching 15C. That may be the last 15C for some time. Low pressure will organize along a cold front tonight in southern Ontario and spread a steady rain across the area on Saturday. As the front moves south and east of our area, the coldest air of the season will plunge southward into eastern Ontario. The rain will change to some wet snow late Sunday into Monday. At this time no big accumulations are expected in our area, with the exception of the traditional snow belts south and east of the Lakes.

Next week will be cold with temperatures below freezing and more snow forecast for all regions by Thursday. Some models suggest maybe 5-10cm on Thursday but it is early in the forecast period, just a heads up!

Freezing Rain Warning

The leading edge of precipitation in the form of rain has moved along the 401 towards Brockville. It will be in the Kemptville area by 8:45am and towards Ottawa by 9am. Temperatures at the surface remain below freezing, and several hours of freezing rain is forecast for our region. Around 2-4mm of ice accretion may occur before the change to rain by noon in most areas. The change will occur first in the St. Lawrence Seaway and after lunch in the upper Ottawa Valley. Many roads have been pre-treated this morning with salt and sand, but any that are not will become slippery quickly as the rain begins. A Freezing Rain Warning is in effect for Kemptville, Leeds and Grenville and most of the Ottawa Valley. Once temperatures warm into the low single digits they will remain above freezing most of the weekend, with plain rain and gusty winds forecast.

Lest We Forget

Lest We Forget

Please take time today to remember the men and women who have paid the supreme sacrifice so that we can live in such a free and peaceful country.

Most services begin between 10:30-11am in our region including Kemptville (at the high school). Plan to attend one and to wear a poppy with pride. The weather will be chilly in Ontario with temperatures around 2C and clouds with isolated flurries.

The photos are of the Veterans Commemorative War Memorial on Highway 416 at the Rideau River at sunrise this morning...

Lake Snow Machine ON

Greetings everyone, I apologize about the lack of posts this weekend I was away. Busy today as well so this will be brief. We have cooled down considerably behind yesterdays cold front. We are currently siting at 4C in Kemptville, a far cry from last weeks 20 degree temperatures. The lake effect snow machine is also on today spreading steady bands of snow across the area south and east Lake Huron in Ontario and on the US side of the border south of Buffalo and in Jefferson and St. Lawrence County. Advisories are in place. If you are travelling south along Interstate 81 expect some snow covered roads and poor visibility south of Watertown. Kemptville and eastern Ontario can expect just a few flurries or showers most of the week with cool temperatures, typical November weather.

I did not write much on Hurricane Paloma that blossomed into a Category 4 storm before moving inland near Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba. Paloma packed 145mph and destroyed over 435 homes, but because of Cuba's excellent evacuation procedures, no deaths were reported. Paloma has since been sheered apart and went from a Cat 4 to a depression in less than 24 hours. The photo below from the National Hurricane Centre is a very impressive Paloma at his strongest south of Cuba on Saturday.

One more warm day

Update: The temperature is at 19C in Kemptville at 1pm. Absolutely amazing when you consider that we were at 1C at 7am this morning. In Fahrenheit is so much more dramatic 33F to 66F in just 6 hours. Enjoy the rest of the day it is record setting and spectacular.
Meanwhile that fierce storm in the central plains has dumped 3 feet of snow in South Dakota with hurricane force winds. The system is heading for Manitoba.

Fog this morning in Kemptville as the temperature hit 1C at 7am.

Happy Birthday Julie!

Kemptville and eastern Ontario remain sandwiched between two major storm systems, one on the east coast and the other over the northern plains. We will benefit with abundant sunshine and very warm temperatures with highs close to 19C again today. We have a way to go, calm winds and clear skies allowed the temperature to rapidly fall from yesterdays high of 19C all the way to 1C at 7am this morning here in Kemptville. No frost occurred, but lots of fog. Our recent Indian Summer like spell of warm weather will come to an end this weekend as showers from the western system begin to move in with cooler temperatures. Colder air and the possibility of snow may return for next week.

Tropical Storm Paloma has developed north of Nicaragua and is expected to rapidly intensify into a Hurricane before threatening Cuba and possibly the Bahamas this weekend as a major storm. More details to follow.

Non Weather Post.... I would be amiss if I did not acknowledge the tremendous political and historical event that took place in the U.S. on Tuesday. Congratulations to Barack Obama for his win in the Presidential elections. It is truly a special time in US politics and I felt privileged to be able to watch it unfold. I hope and pray that he can bring some much needed positive change and peace to the U.S. and the world. Locally all of the Vermont counties sided with Obama along with the northern NY counties of St. Lawrence and Clinton. Jefferson County, home of Watertown, N.Y. went with McCain.

Record Warmth

Record warm air continues to stream northward into Ontario today. Kemptville nearly broke a record yesterday reaching 18C. Today we are already at that temperature and looking to push 20C by the end of the day. The normal high for November 5 is 7C. People are out in shirt sleeves and shorts again...a nice break from the early winter weather of last week.

Meanwhile strong storm systems lie to our west and east. A powerful Colorado low is strengthening in the Dakotas today and will move northeast into Manitoba. Heavy rain and wet snow are expected across the region with very strong northeast winds over 50km/h.

To the east of us is another strong nor'easter, the third in a month, is on the Atlantic coast near North Carolina. This storm unlike the last will remain well south of our area, but will usher in some cooler air for the weekend. Along the east coast from New York City south to the Outer Banks, very strong winds and heavy surf continue to pound the region. There has been coastal flooding and beach erosion along with heavy rain and wind. The storm will slowly drift northeast today. The photo below is from the Outer Banks of North Carolina near Rodanthe this afternoon. High surf has forced the NCDOT to push sand up along the highway to try and protect the roadway from the surging Atlantic Ocean (at left).

Very warm week ahead

A brief period of freezing rain this morning was the introduction to what will become a very warm week. A strong southwest flow of mild air will stream into the region beginning today. It will reach 9C in Kemptville with showers along the warm front. Tuesday through Thursday of this week will be sunny, and very mild with high temperatures from 15 to 18C. The next threat of rain will come along a cold front by Friday. It will then turn cooler for the weekend, but no major storms or snow is in sight at this time.

Happy Halloween

Halloween Update: Sunny and very warm, close to 12C at trick or treat time in Kemptville. Hard to believe 24 hours ago we were 3C and 48 hours ago we were 0C and recovering from a major snowstorm. Well it is now 15C with lots of warm sunshine & melting snow.

Happy Halloween
Please be safe today. The forecast looks great. It will be sunny and very mild today reaching 12C. This should quickly eliminate the remaining snow in Kemptville at the very least. Tonight for tricks or treats in most of Ontario and western Quebec, fair and mild. There will be just a chance of a shower as a weak cold front moves through, but it will be very slight and most areas will remain dry.

Is it really October?

"What happened to summer?"

I was driving back from dropping my daughter off at the school bus in Osgoode this morning when the image below caught my eye (farm on the left, snow and the rising sun). I had to remind myself it was October and not early December. It looked like a Christmas card. I also heard my first Christmas commercial on the radio, so I guess the gloves are off, or on depending how you view things.

With Halloween just a day away we are looking at big icy snow banks everywhere and still a few tree limbs on the ground for good measure. I had mentioned yesterday that about 15,000 hydro customers were without power, estimates were actually double that at 30,000 in Ontario and another 50,000 in west Quebec from the Nor'Easter. By the way that storm made it into the top 5 all time for October snowfalls for Ottawa.

Halloween at this time looks good, much milder and fair. It will turn cooler Saturday and Sunday, but no storms on the radar till at least the middle of next week, if not longer.

Congrats to the Phillies who won the World Series last night. It was a bizarre series with game five being cut in half and delayed 48 hours by that aforementioned Nor'Easter. Last note this morning, and yet another victim of the storm, a Wallaby is loose in North Grenville. The poor little guy named Wendell, went missing after a tree, heavy from the wet snow, fell over and knocked the fence down in his pen at Saunders Country Critters just south of town on the 44. The complete story can be found at this LINK

Wendell...

Photo from Saunders Country Critters