Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Brutal cold returns to Quebec - major snowstorm US northeast

Frigid arctic air is well established across Quebec and Ontario this morning with the thaw a fleeting memory. The mercury here on L'Ile Perrot dropped to -24C this morning with -26C in Ottawa. Wind chill readings are in the -30 to -35C range, and in many ways it feels colder than the start of this month. Amazing what a few above freezing days in January can do to your system. It will remain cold for the balance of the week with arctic high pressure in control of our weather. Windchill warnings are in effect for a large portion of Ontario and Quebec but not here in Montreal. Splitting hairs really as we will be just on the edge of the warning criteria. Means nothing, it is still cold out for all of us from Windsor to Quebec City. Sunshine with some clouds will prevail today with an increasing northeast breeze and highs no better than -19C. It will be frigid tonight down to at least -25C in Montreal.

Meanwhile the cold air has reached well into the US once again with many east coast cities remaining well below zero today. A clipper system moving well south of the lower Great Lakes will reach the Atlantic Coast and rapidly intensify. It will then move into the Atlantic well east of Cape Cod. This track favors a windy snowstorm for southern and coastal New England as well as Atlantic Canada. Winter storm warnings are in effect from Washington to Boston with 15-30cm (6-12 inches) forecast. Blizzard warnings are in effect for Cape Cod as well as Nova Scotia and PEI for up to 40cm of snow along with 50-100km/h winds. The storm will start later today and last well into Wednesday. Expect major travel delays if your plans take you to Boston, New York or Halifax.

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