Perfect outdoor weekend

If you are looking to go skiing, snowmobiling or skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, this is the perfect weather weekend. Fresh snow is everywhere including a few centimetres today, and it will be mild. Low pressure today moved down the St. Lawrence Valley with a few bursts of moderate snow at times. Radar is showing some more bursts around, but they should clear out early Saturday and leave us with a sunny and mild day. Tomorrow night a weak warm front will lift north of the region with light snow followed by a very mild day Sunday. We may actually go above freezing for the first time in a month here in Montreal.

Beyond that I am watching another potential snowstorm for late Monday and Tuesday developing over the Gulf States and moving northward towards New England. The most recent computer data is suggesting the system will move further east then the last storm. It looks like the 401/416 corridor and Kemptville could miss this one altogether with the Montreal area being on the extreme western edge of the precipitation. Currently the forecast is for snow and windy. I expect we will refine that a little over the weekend. Stay tuned and be safe.

Storm Summary

Drifting snow along Lakeshore Drive in Lachine. It was nearly blown closed at times during the storm.

The swimming pool in Verdun where I swam as a child, looking very cold in the predawn hours. (Notice the burried cars under 25cm of snow)

I am tired. I spent most of the day hopping over waist high snowbanks in Montreal's east end as I did a job I had not done for 11 years, deliver newspaper bundles of the Mirror and ICI to stores. It was an opportunity to get out and about as I am still trying to find new employment. The crews did a great job plowing the roads, but in a city where narrow streets are the rule rather than the exception, there is only so many places you can pile snow.

Above: Very narrow streets greeted me in Montreal today.

Here is a roundup of the storm:

Montreal 24cm

Cornwall 23cm

Ottawa 18cm

Kemptville 15cm

Brockville 14cm

Toronto 13cm

4pm Storm Update

Police along the South Shore have been busy with accidents all day.

Radar and ground observations are showing a potent storm over Ontario and Quebec today. Moderate snow has been falling since midday with more than 10cm on the ground in most locations including Montreal. Low pressure near West Virginia is expected to lift northeast towards New England tonight. Heavy snow will continue for the next several hours with storm totals exceeding 20cm. Travel is not advised.

Visibility in Montreal and along the south shore is less than 1km and has been since noon. The low visibility and heavy snow have caused a rash of accidents that have closed some highways including the 20 near Les Cedres west of Montreal. Along the south shore both Highway 30 and 132 are in poor shape with very slow travel and the 15 to the US border is opened but not recommended. Bus lanes will not be in operation on the Champlain Bridge.

Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect for all regions of southern Quebec, Eastern Ontario and northern New England/New York into tonight. The storm will ease overnight with flurries expected Thursday.

Winter Storm Update

Winter Storm Warnings are in effect this morning across Ontario and southwestern Quebec. Snow has overspread the entire region and roads are now snow covered with lowering visibilities especially in the valley. Travel today outside of the major cities is not recommended, and will be difficult everywhere. Anywhere from 20-30cm of snow will fall in Kemptville, Ottawa and Montreal. The heaviest snow will be along the St. Lawrence Valley and US border. Winter Storm Warnings are also in effect for New York and New England. The culprit is a major low pressure area that formed over Texas. The system has been responsible for heavy snow and ice state side with 19 deaths blamed on the storm. Nearly 150,000 homes are without power in the US, many in Oklahoma and Kentucky.

The snow that has started will continue into the overnight hours before tapering off to flurries from west to east. I will post an update on the storm later this morning with pictures.

Winter Storm Warning

The calm before the storm. The view from my new home on the St. Lawrence River looking at the sun setting over the western suburbs of Montreal today.

Whew what a couple of days it has been, as I have just finished moving. It has left me at times tired and far from my computer and the weather. I am now settled in my new home and off we go. It is just in time for a classic nor'easter. Lots of cold air is in place across the St. Lawrence Valley, Ontario and Quebec, New York and Vermont. Low pressure is developing across the Gulf states and will move towards New England on Wednesday. Expect snow to overspread the area from southwest to northeast very early Wednesday. It should reach Kemptville be daybreak and Montreal by mid morning. The snow will become heavy and be accompanied by strong northeast winds in Montreal of 30-50km/h. The snow and blowing snow will cause very poor travel conditions along all area highways. The weather will only improve Thursday. Present accumulation estimates are for 15cm in Kemptville and 15-25cm in Montreal. Warnings have been posted for southwestern Quebec but not at this time for Ontario. Regardless of the warning criteria, wherever you are in our area you can expect a storm tomorrow.

Winter Storm Warning: Southwestern Quebec, New York and Vermont

More arctic air...snowstorm?

I had it all planned - win the $43 million 6/49 and buy this 2010 Dodge Challenger Hemi for a cool $49,000. It was much warmer inside this weekend at the Montreal car show.

It is another frigid morning across the region with temperatures of -29C in Kemptville and -25C in Montreal.The ice fog is pouring off the St. Lawrence River icing up the area bridges and elevated roadways. Today will be sunny and dry across the area and that will continue into Tuesday.

Strong low pressure is then expected to organize across the Tennessee Valley and move towards southern New England. It is becoming more likely that a major storm with heavy snow and wind will occur from Vermont and southern New York east. We will be on the extreme northern edge of the system with just cloud cover, flurries and cold northeast winds on Wednesday. It is still early and if the system wobbles west just a little the forecast could change. If you are travelling south into New York be aware of the storm on Wednesday and watch for updates on it regarding Ontario and Quebec.

Cold weekend ahead

Arctic high pressure is poised to settle across Ontario and Quebec this weekend giving both provinces another cold spell. It will however be dry with no major storms in sight for the foreseeable future. The only snow will occur later today as a weak clipper and associated arctic front move across the both provinces form west to east. A brief period of steady snow will accumulate 2-5cm across most regions from this afternoon into the early overnight period. The snow will be accompanied by gusty winds. After a high close to the freezing point in most localities it will drop to -20C tonight and not warm much tomorrow or Sunday. Skies will clear by noon on Saturday.

Snow Squalls

Blowing snow along Highway 15 south near the St. Lawrence River today.

A sharp arctic front is slipping south across the Ottawa Valley this afternoon heading towards the St. Lawrence Valley and Montreal. The Quebec Weather Centre has posted a snow squall warning for most of southwestern Quebec. These are very similar to Summer thunderstorms. Quick bursts of precipitation with gusty winds. In this case it will be snow as the temperature is hovering around the freezing point at this hour. Look for the front to cross the region during the afternoon rush hour. Only a centimetre or two of snow will fall but with the gusty winds to 60km/h it could create poor travel conditions very quickly.

Eastern Ontario can also expect theses squalls from 4pm near Ottawa to 6pm along the 401.

Tomorrow another clipper will give 2-4cm of snow before an arctic high pressure moves in for the weekend with sunny skies and cold weather.

Another Arctic dip

Ice fog rises off the St. Lawrence in Montreal this morning. SB photo.

Cold air banked over Nunavut has pushed into eastern Ontario and Montreal today with temperatures as cold as -25C across the region and gusty west winds. A weak area of low pressure will slide down the St. Lawrence Valley today with just a trace of light snow maybe 1cm in most areas. The snow will bring milder air along for the ride and that will produce a fairly mild day Thursday before a cold front slices across the area on Friday. That cold front will usher in another weekend of well below normal temperatures with lows in the -20's and highs no better than -15C. The next potential for significant snow will not come until early next week.

First in Flight, last in snow removal...

Below: Yesterday while parts of BC and Alberta basked in double digit highs, snow wind and cold settled as far south as the Carolinas with 10-15cm of snow and gusty winds. A state of emergency was declared across coastal North Carolina. Photo Courtesy WRAL.com

Inauguration Weather

What a proud, historical and memorable day south of the border in the US as Barack Obama takes the Presidential oath and is sworn in as the nations 44th President. Millions are descending on Washington D.C. in a sea of humanity and thankfully the weather is good. Some Inaugurations have bee plagued with snow and cold or rain.

This year the weather is mainly sunny with just a few flurries. A major winter storm is actually affecting Virginia and the Carolina's with snow right out to the coast, however it will stay south of D.C. In Washington, it is currently -6C with a windchill of -11C. The high is expected to be 0C.

Record Warmth in Alberta

It was warm in Alberta yesterday. How warm? Well a 109 year old record fell in Edmonton where the mercury soared to 10C. It was 14C in Calgary. Most of the snow from this cold winter has melted away as their January thaw continues today. It appears we will not have a thaw this year, at least according to the extended forecast that shows no above 0C weather before months end.

Kemptville and Montreal were both around -9C yesterday, this felt very pleasant compared to the -30's of late last week. It will be a fairly quite weather week with just some scattered snow showers and flurries and temperatures close to the normal high of -6C. It will turn sharply colder again by next weekend with the potential for some more significant snow on Saturday.

**I want to thank Andy for a comment he left yesterday regarding Rain-X and washer fluid. I will give it a try. Hey I thought I was the only one who travelled between Merrickville and Montreal on a weekly basis!

** Ryan how can any post with Mallorytown in it go wrong?

Enough with January

Really? Feels closer to the North Pole than the Equator!
It was -27C when I took the photo in Ingleside, Ontario last week.


I am using litres and litres of washer fluid a day, my car is white instead of the normal cherry red and I am tired of January. I hate this month, I must tell you, and this year is no exception. I am in the process of changing jobs and moving all in a month that is not fit for any human being. My apologies to ice fishers and snowmobilers, trust me I envy you, maybe I should take up the sport and embrace the season. So far all that this has meant to me is traffic jam after traffic jam and the dirtiest car ever, and if you know me, you know how much pain that brings to me. Well enough of the static electrical shocks and such and back to weather.

I wish I had better news for this week. I was hoping for a major warm up by the middle of the week, but cold arctic air is very stubborn to move out. It looks like it will hang around with periods of snow today and again on Wednesday and Friday. The Friday system could be a major storm but we are a week out. Last night the clipper that is affecting eastern Ontario and Quebec today with gusty winds and 2-5cm of snow, dumped between 15-25cm on the western end of Lake Ontario including Toronto. The snow was amplified by the lake. Today snow and gusty winds will produce some difficult travel in the eastern part of the province. It has warmed slightly but the wind has increased producing some impressive wind chills. Be safe...

Snow and warmer temperatures

Lake effect snow continues to fall this morning east of Lake Ontario in Watertown, NY. This band is producing 5cm per hour and will dissipate slowly as it moves northward towards the 401 and Mallorytown. Anyone travelling in that area today or on Interstate 81 should expect very changeable weather. Otherwise today will be dry and cold but not nearly as cold as the last few days. It is already -15C in Kemptville which is miles ahead of any other day since Wednesday, Montreal and Ottawa are colder at -22. An Alberta clipper will move east today and spread a general 5-10cm of fluffy snow across our area and into western Quebec. The snow should start late tonight and last into Sunday.

Slight moderation of temperatures

The cold snap that has caused so much misery in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa and everywhere in between is showing signs of moderating over the weekend. The intense cold has snapped water mains, caused power outages, iced highways, caused fires, stalled cars and produced hundreds of accidents. It has made life generally miserable. I have yet to try and start my car this morning, but Kemptville bottomed out at -32C this last hour, so it could be a challenge. We are one of the coldest places in the region. It will"warm" to -20C today under sunshine. Look for some weak systems to give a couple of centimetres of snow over the weekend, nothing major, but the good news will be temperatures will moderate to -13C Saturday and -9C on Sunday. Keep warm and be safe.

Some images of the cold

Breaking News

Above: Amazing photo of a US Airways Plane down in the Hudson River in NYC. The temperature at the time was only -6C and the water was frigid. All said to have survived.

Salting the black ice on the 416 this afternoon - All photos below by SB

Longeuil, Quebec firefighters faced a daunting job. 40 people had to be evacuated from the building into the cold. True heroes at work.

Steam rises from the water used to put out the flames. Air temperature at the time was -27C.

This is all that is left of the three story unit.

The photos above are of the fire in Brossard last night on Montreal's South Shore.

It was a nasty 24 hours all across Ontario and Quebec. There were water main breaks, hundreds of accidents including a fatal one between North Augusta and Merrickville and several major fires. The temperature has been so cold that black ice has formed on any elevated surface as well as most on/off ramps. Only the 401 was bare and dry on my return trip to Kemptville. Travel with great care the next few days, if the road surface appears wet you can bet it is icy.

Cold weather tightens grip

An arctic outbreak continues to tighten its grip on eastern Canada and the US with the coldest air in the last 4 winters settling south and east. At 7am this morning it was -30 in Kemptville, -36 in the upper Ottawa Valley at Petawawa, -29 at Ottawa and -27 in Montreal. The cold has forced the cancellation of school across the Gatineau region. School buses are having a tough time turning over. In addition roadways in Montreal are slick with numerous accidents. Ice fog off the St. Lawrence River is freezing on contact with the bridges and roads producing black ice. Water main breaks have also closed several roads with icy water flooding into homes. Fire departments were kept busy in the frigid cold overnight including here in Brossard. I will brave the weather and post some photos later.

The coldest night of the year, season and possibly decade will occur tonight with calm winds and clear skies it will drop to between -30C and -40C across all our regions. Prepare yourself for this extreme cold. Dress smart in layers and make sure your car is in top running order. If you must travel long distances carry a tin with candles and extra blankets in your car in case you break down. The cold snap will last at least till Sunday.

Cold Weather Continues

Extreme cold alert on the Champlain Bridge.

The frigid weather continues to play havoc in and around Montreal and most of Ontario and Quebec. In Montreal roads and bridges especially have been slick with numerous accidents reported due to black ice. Water pipes have been snapping, causing water to be cut and flooding many homes in different parts of the city. Homeless shelters have been pushed to the brink with most beds filled. The cold is expected to continue with a re-enforcing shot coming in behind another Alberta Clipper sliding south of the Great Lakes. Any snow from this system will stay south and west of Kingston. Temperatures into the weekend will struggle to reach -20C at any time during the day with lows around -25C in the city and -30C in rural areas.

Dangerous Cold

The Arctic tundra above? Actually it is the St. Lawrence River in the heart of Montreal

It is cold this morning, dangerous cold. The temperature is currently -26C in Kemptville, we hit -27 last hour and -23 in Montreal. The windchill is close to -40C. Don't let the sunshine fool you at this temperature skin can freeze in minutes. The cold air will continue to dive south and east all the way down to Florida. Expect the cold air to tighten its grip on our region and prevail right into this weekend.

Wind Chill Warnings

9:35pm Update: Ottawa is now -16C while Montreal is still 0C. A flash freeze is expected in Montreal, with the temperature dropping 15 degrees by midnight. Winds will increase NW up to 70km/h with snow and blowing snow. Snow squalls are now approaching Montreal and will move through by 11pm.

8:30pm Update: Anatomy of an arctic front... At 8pm Ottawa is -13C with winds NW at 52 Gusting 72km/h. Montreal is 0C. The front is racing east between the two cities at this hour.

4:30PM Update: Wind chill warnings have been extended into eastern Ontario. Look for the combination of wind and cold to produce wind chills below -35C overnight. In addition heavy snow continues to spread into our area at this hour. The next few hours will feature frequent white out conditions on the roads in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Travel with great caution or cancel if possible.

Radar is showing bursts of heavy snow developing along an arctic front in Eastern Ontario at this hour. The heavy snow and gusty winds will cross the Kemptville area in the next couple of hours, with temperatures plummeting behind the front. As the front passes, visibility will drop to near zero in heavy snow and blowing snow making for treacherous driving conditions. Winds are gusting along and behind the front in excess of 50km/h. The wind and snow along with dropping temperatures into the -20's will create dangerous travel into the overnight. These conditions have prompted Special Weather Statements in Ontario, a Winter Weather Advisory in New York and Vermont and Windchill Warnings across most of northern and central Quebec. I expect these will be extended into the south tonight. All this to say it will be nasty, windy and cold with periods of snow. Once the snow ends it will be frigid into Friday. Drive with caution and delay travel if you can. I will post pictures later tonight.

Arctic front update

The coldest weather of the winter and maybe even last winter as well is set to move into Eastern Ontario and western Quebec later today and tonight. The front will blast across Kemptville late today with temperatures plunging more than 10 degrees in the first hour or two. After a high near 0C look for lows to bottom out between -25 and -30C. Winds will be strong gusting over 50km/h producing dangerous wind chills and blowing snow. The snow will be fairly light most of the day, but expect a heavy burst along the front. From 5-10cm is expected in most regions. Radar is showing steady light snow across the region at this hour and it will continue to spread east towards Montreal. It will be an unsettled, breezy and frigid week with some snow by the weekend. Plan your travel accordingly and be prepared for dangerous cold temperatures.

Temperatures set to plunge

An arctic cold front will sweep across Ontario and Quebec on Tuesday from west to east. It will affect southern Ontario first and work its way into Quebec for the evening rush hour. It should move through Kemptville by noon and Montreal by 4pm or so. Most areas will experience a heavy shot of snow with between 5-10cm expected as the front passes. In addition to the snow, winds will shift from southwest to northwest and gust over 60km/h causing blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility. If that were not enough temperatures close to -2C to start the day will begin to plummet and reach -25 to -30C by Wednesday with dangerous wind chills. They will only rise slightly - maybe to -20C for the balance of the week before a slight moderation on Saturday.

**With such a drop in temperatures and strong winds, travel will become very poor on Tuesday as roads ice up and visibility is reduced. Also this extreme cold will be dangerous as wind chills will be near -40C.

Winter Weather Advisories have been posted for upstate New York and a Special Weather Statement has been issued for Ontario.

Arctic blast on the way

A lonely combine sits under the full wolf moon last night near Burritts Rapids.

As expected the low pressure remained south of Kemptville and Montreal last night with just some light snow extending along the 401 towards Cornwall and then south into New York state. Today will be sunny and chilly before another clipper system passes south of our area late Monday and Tuesday. The big news this week will be the arctic cold front that races through the area late Tuesday. The front will be accompanied by snow squalls and strong winds with a quick 5-10cm of snowfall not out of the question. Behind the front the coldest air of the season and maybe last year as well will pour in dropping temperatures close to -30C by Thursday morning and struggling to reach -18C Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Prepare now for the cold, windchill advisories may be needed.

A Cold Weekend

Greetings on this late Friday night in what has been a silly week for me. I'm in between jobs and moving, nothing like changing everything all at once. I hate it when weather takes a back seat to life. It should never be that way.

Needless to say it is cold tonight, -18C right now in Kemptville, not to mention the light breeze and the all important dampness factor. It seems at times that the dampness is worse than the wind. It will be a cold week ahead with the coldest air of the season moving in by Thursday. The snowstorm tomorrow will stay well south of us only affecting the Ohio Valley, Michigan and extrem southwest Ontario near Windsor. Our next snow will come from a clipper and cold front by Tuesday, in the order of 5-10cm. Drive safe and have a great weekend.

Enjoy the Rideau Canal , it is open, but bundle up!

Storm wrap-up

The winter storm that moved across Ontario and Quebec yesterday was responsible for hundreds of accidents, with most, according to the OPP and SQ, caused by driver error and not the weather. Speed and poor tires were the main culprit. Snowfall was impressive with 21cm at Kemptville, 18cm at Ottawa and 24cm in Montreal. This morning flurries and gusty winds causing blowing snow continue across the area with snow covered and slippery roads in most cases. The skies should clear later today, but it will be cold. The cold weather is with us for the foreseeable future. Another storm will pass just south of us on Saturday and may just brush the region with some light snow and gusty winds. Afterwards yet another low will cross the Great Lakes on Monday with some light snow. Behind this system will be the coldest air thus far this winter with lows in the -20's and highs in the minus teens.

Out west the years worth of snow that fell in December in B.C. and Washington State (photo above) is beginning to melt all at once. To add to the misery is heavy rain, in some cases in excess of 200mm. The flooding has washed out roads, caused mudslides and even avalanches. Numerous roads are closed including Interstate 5 and the Sea to Sky Highway. Homes are also being flooded in may regions.

Winter Storm Update

Above: Kemptville at NOON today.

At 1pm very heavy snow continues to fall in bursts over the region. Visibility has been reported under a kilometre at both Ottawa and Montreal. The snow has accumulated more than 10cm so far in Kemptville with at least another 10cm expected today. Storm totals in the St. Lawrence, Ottawa and Rideau Valleys will be in the order of 25cm. Temperatures have remained cold as a northeast wind is keeping the warmer air to our south at bay. It has been in the order of -8C most of the morning with windchill values in the minus teens. Winds are also causing blowing and drifting snow on the open highway. Roads remain poor.

Storm well underway

Steady snow continues to fall across eastern Ontario at this hour with a brisk northeast wind. Roads are snow covered with several centimetres down since it began around 3am this morning. The snow will become quite heavy into the early afternoon, with the possibility of sleet mixing in along the 401 corridor. Look for anywhere between 10-15cm during the daylight hours with another 10cm this evening. The region will have very close to 25cm on the ground by the time the storm moves east. The culprit is low pressure moving across the Ohio Valley and into the St. Lawrence Valley. Meanwhile a second storm will develop near New Jersey and move north. The combination of the two storms will allow precipitation to continue into Thursday morning before tapering off from west to east. Heavy Snowfall Warnings remain in effect for all regions in southern and eastern Ontario, as well as New York and Quebec. Travel is very poor today and will not improve till tomorrow at the earliest. The Upper Canada District School Board cancelled all buses today, as did other boards in southern Ontario.

Update around lunchtime with some photos...

Winter Storm Warning

5pm UPDATE: I am happy with the forecast to this point. It appears we are on track for a major storm. Low pressure in the lower Mississippi Valley will move northeast and pass just south of Ontario and Quebec. Snow will spread into the region overnight from west to east and reach Montreal by daybreak. The snow may mix with freezing rain along the American border. Snowfall amounts will range from 15-30cm with a good 20cm expected in Kemptville and closer to 25cm for Montreal and Cornwall (the Seaway). Winds will be a factor in the St. Lawrence Valley and along the 401 corridor gusting from 30-60km/h causing blowing snow and reduced visibilities. Warnings are in effect for all our regions in Ontario, Quebec, northern New York and New England. Travel will be impacted by this system. Be prepared for very poor road conditions all day Wednesday and into Wednesday night. All precipitation will taper to flurries on Thursday.

12:00PM Update: Watches have been upgraded to warnings across all regions except areas along the immediate St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. Snow is expected to overspread the area this evening from the south and persist much of Wednesday with 15-20cm expected. The uncertainty along the St. Lawrence and points south is due to the type of precipitation expected which may lower the accumulations. Ice may mix with the snow over those areas. Travel will begin to deteriorate overnight, with the most intense snow occurring Wednesday from mid morning to mid afternoon. Travel may become quite difficult in snow and some blowing snow. It will turn colder with flurries on Thursday.

Winter storm watches are being hoisted across New York, New England, Ontario and Quebec as a new winter storm takes shape over the Gulf States. The low pressure area is forecast to move towards the St. Lawrence Valley on Wednesday before giving way to a new low along the eastern seaboard. The combination of the two systems will spread snow into the Kemptville area after midnight tonight with several centimetres expected by morning. The snow will reach Ottawa and Montreal overnight. On Wednesday all regions will receive steady snow with a mix along the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes. Look for 10-20cm of snow in most regions. Travel on Wednesday will not be impossible but if you can delay or postpone do so.

Next statement around noon.

Here comes cold January

January can typically be the coldest month of the year. In the last couple of winters it has been marked by a very pronounced thaw. This year we may see a more wintry month, I was reading a few forecast products this morning that indicate a very cold month ahead. Looking at the arctic air that has invaded the western provinces I believe the forecast. It may not go above freezing in eastern Ontario and Montreal at least through mid-month. The good news is the days are getting longer. There was still some hint of daylight well past 5pm last night.

We are also watching a storm system that is expected to move from the southern plains into the Great Lakes by Wednesday with a swath of snow and ice. It will slowly fill over Lake Ontario on Wednesday as another low pressure area takes over along the Atlantic seaboard. I believe snow will overspread the area late Tuesday and mix with some freezing rain by Wednesday morning. Look for 10-20cm of snow in most areas of eastern Ontario and western Quebec, before it tapers off on Wednesday. I will post any watches or warnings regarding this system as they become available.

Another Windy Day

Transport Quebec plowing and salting the 15 near Napierville on Saturday.
PJ Photo


It what seems to be a common scenario this winter I drove in gusty winds and drifting snow today. It was a 2 hands on the steering wheel moment as I went to Plattsburg, NY along Highway 15 and then I-87. On the Quebec side of the border winds gusted to over 50km/h drifting snow and in some cases dirt across the 4 lanes of highway. It was slippery at times, but much better later in the day.

Low pressure over the central plains will race east and pass south of Ontario and Quebec tomorrow and Monday. A little light precipitation is expected in the region with the risk of freezing rain and sleet spreading from the southwest part of Ontario in the morning towards the Ottawa Valley overnight Sunday into Monday morning. I will update this weather event with any warnings tomorrow morning.

And now back to the weather

Halifax yesterday from the ChronicleHerald.ca

All the nonsense of December is past and now to focus this blog back to where is belongs, the weather. I am watching a busy week ahead with several systems poised to bring us some accumulating snow. It will remain cold throughout the period as January settles in. As a matter of fact the entire country is quite stormy and cold this weekend. None more so than Atlantic Canada where a blizzard brought cold, wind and nearly 30cm of snow to Halifax. More snow fell in northern and western parts of the province. Air travel was halted and nearly 10,000 people were left without power.

Our weather thankfully was calm yesterday after a windy and snowy week. the wind was incredible, and there is evidence of it all over Eastern Ontario. Signs and trees are down and have yet to be collected. One stretch of the 416 has three exit signs broken in a row.

The weather today is cloudy and chilly with light snow moving across the 401 corridor into Quebec. Expect less than 5cm in most places with perhaps a little more along the Great Lakes. The weekend looks fairly decent but cold with just scattered snow flurries. The next major system will arrive mid-week from the US southwest and could be significant. More on that later this weekend.