Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Record warmth for Montreal

What a difference a few days can make in the weather department. After shivering through -28 degree weather we are sitting at 3C this morning on our way to a forecast high of 8C. If it reaches that, it will easily surpass the previous record of 5.2C set in 1988. We had a little freezing rain last evening, but really not much. The big problem this morning is all the snow lying around from the cold snap. It has generated lots of ice hidden under puddles of deep water across suburbia. I nearly went for a header down my front steps. Take it easy on your own driveway and in your own neighborhood today.

A warm front is in the process of lifting north of the St. Lawrence Valley this morning. Montreal is at 3C while Ottawa is still 0C and Toronto a warm 9C. Any freezing rain at this time in confined to the upper Ottawa Valley and well north and east of metro Montreal. Today will be showery, windy and mild with highs reaching a springlike 7 to 12C across the region. Tonight low pressure over the Great Lakes will  move across central Quebec and drag a potent cold front across the region. Steady rain will fall all night with even some thunder possible. The rain will change to flurries on Thursday and it will be become very windy. At this time winds are expected to be in the 60-80km/h range with higher gusts in Montreal. A wind warning is in effect for northern New York and the Niagara region of Ontario. We may see one issued for Montreal as well, time will tell. In any event it will be windy and much colder with temperatures falling to -5C by the end of the day. All this water will once again freeze up as it will remain cold right through the weekend.

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