Colder weather slowly returns

This is what 45cm of melting snow looks like. Not the fresh, pure white we had just a few days ago. (ValleyWX Photo)

There was no big rush of cold air into southern Quebec on Monday as a front passed south and east of the city. I was quite surprised at how slowly the mercury fell with temperatures remaining above freezing in Montreal well into the evening hours and only down to a low of -3C currently. Cloud cover and a west southwest wind managed to keep things milder than forecast along with the fact that we have lost so much snow in the last three days. Nearly half the snow pack that was in my backyard melted over the last 72 hours. The melting has stopped for now, and though it will remain mild and above normal in the temperature department today, much colder air in the horizon. A series of clipper systems and arctic boundaries will cross Ontario and Quebec between tonight and next Monday, each one bringing along colder air. By next week highs will remain below -10C with lows colder than -20C in many areas. As far as snow goes, no major storms are expected but we will freshen up things with occasional snow showers and a few heavier squalls with each arctic front. In the short term look for partly cloudy skies today and just a few flurries late with highs around -2C.