Sunday, October 11, 2009

Record cold, snow & frost - October?

Despite the chilly and windy weather, the colours look awesome and the sunshine inviting in Montreal today.

Cold arctic air continues to pour into western Canada and across the border into the Rockies and northern plain states. Numerous record low temperatures fell yesterday across the prairies and temperatures are not expected to get above freezing today. It is currently -5C in Calgary, and they will drop to -14C Monday morning. Banff was -19C this morning. All time record lows for October are tumbling across the west. Snow has been falling along the Trans Canada Highway from Calgary east towards northwest Ontario. Portions of the highway were closed in Manitoba as gusty winds and heavy snow made travel impossible, Stretches of the highway remain icy today. Over 15cm of snow fell in southern Manitoba with as much as 25cm locally. The same cold air mass and storm system produced heavy snow across the Rockies in Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. Portions of Interstate 70 were closed and the MLB Playoff Game between the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies was cancelled last night., They will try Agni tonight when it should be a much milder 9C as opposed to -2C and snow last night.

In eastern Ontario and southern Quebec it is windy and chilly today, but skies have cleared and will remain that way into Monday before the plains storm moves east. Frost Warnings have been issued for all of southern Quebec and I expect a general frost tonight with temperatures lowering to 0C in the city. A cold soaking rain is expected Tuesday before windy and cold conditions to end the week with some flurries. Meanwhile the west will warm up with temperatures returning to above normal by the end of the week.

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