Enjoy today - a wet weekend ahead

It will be another spectacular spring day in Montreal with a warmer southwest wind developing and temperatures rising rapidly to around 20C (68F) this afternoon. That will be quite a bit warmer than Wednesday when the mercury reached 11C in the city and around 12 to 15C off island. That high pressure will slowly drift off the Atlantic coast today allowing low pressure and a stationary front to establish itself over the area for the upcoming weekend. The first system in Michigan today will move along the international border on Friday with a period of showers and much cooler weather here in Montreal. By Saturday a cold front will approach the area with widespread rain expected. We may see some brief partial sunshine on Sunday before a much larger storm develops off the east coast near Virginia and moves north. This system will be the first coastal storm in quite some time to affect the region. Gusty winds, chilly temperatures and widespread rainfall, possibly up to 50mm (2 inches) may fall late Sunday into Monday. There is even a risk of some wet snow for places like the Adirondacks in northern New York. The track and details are still a little up in the air, but we do need the rain desperately in the area, so it would be welcome. In any event today will be near perfect - so get out and enjoy.