After the thundersnow - now the arctic chill

Above & Below: Poor visibility today on L'Ile Perrot during afternoon snow squalls. (ValleyWX  Photos)

What a weather weekend it has been with every type of precipitation recorded at Trudeau Airport and even some thunder and lightning for good measure. After the nearly 18cm of snow and some freezing rain on Saturday, strong cold fronts moved across the region today with at times blinding snow and wind gusts to 90km/h. The snow was intense enough to close down Highway 417 from Ottawa to the Quebec Border after numerous accidents in the zero visibility snow and blowing snow, it has since reopened.

The temperature went on a wild roller coaster ride from the negative teens late Friday night to nearly plus 7C (45F) for a very brief time here on L'Ile Perrot at around 7:30am this morning, and now back down to -11C (12F). Shortly after today's morning high, the fun started with the first cold front generating rain, thunder and lightning across the region followed by a second more potent cold front with heavy snow and dropping temperatures. We are now into the deep freeze for a few days with temperatures between -12 and -18C for highs and -22 to 26C for lows right through Thursday across southern Quebec and eastern Ontario.