Tuesday, January 13, 2009

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.

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