Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Light snow - milder

It is another very cold start to the day across southern Quebec and eastern Ontario with temperatures down near -20C and a light breeze making it feel even colder. Actual temperatures overnight bottomed out at -20C here on Ile Perrot, -24C in Ottawa and -25C in St Jovite. The day will start sunny as arctic high pressure crests over the region. Clouds will be on the increase after noon as an advancing very weak cold front will cross the region tonight with a chance of some light snow. This will not be a storm with very limited moisture expect 2cm in the city with perhaps 5cm in the hills north of Montreal (1 - 2 inches). It will warm up today to -7C and continue to warm overnight to around -4C. Thursday and early Friday we will be between systems with a mix of clouds and sun before the next low pressure area, a clipper from out west passes near Montreal on Saturday. This system will have a little more moisture with it so look for a general 5cm (2 inches) snowfall across southern Quebec and temperatures warming to near 0C. No big storms are on the horizon through at least mid month.

It has been warm in western Canada. A few of record highs were broken on Monday across Saskatchewan including 6C at Assiniboia. Yesterday Alberta got into the act with record highs set in Medicine Hat at 11C. Calgary was warm as well with a high near 10C and overnight lows above freezing. Today the city is forecasting 13C with not a drop of snow around. More warm weather is expected into the weekend and early next week.

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