Winter is here to stay in Quebec & Ontario

The big clean-up is underway after the 40 plus centimetres of snow that have fallen on Montreal over the last 72 hours. New Year's Eve is looking much different in Montreal than Christmas Eve did.

A very happy and healthy New Year to all my readers, family and friends. I wish everyone all the best in 2016. Be good to each other.

Our record warm December is now a memory as winter weather takes hold across southern Quebec. December 2015 will likely go down as the warmest on record for Montreal. The data is not complete, but through December 30th, Trudeau Airport had a daily average high of 4.8C (40F), the normal should be -1.4C (29F). The overnight lows were astonishingly warm with an average -1.2C (29F), the normal should have been -9.3C (15F). Overall we managed a 1.8C (35F) average temperature, with the normal being -5.4C (22F). Oddly enough, even with all that warm air, as a result of the last 72 hours at Trudeau Airport, the city will come close to the December average for snowfall which is 48.9cm. As of late last night we had 47.6cm at Trudeau Airport in Dorval.

More light snow is forecast today, mixed at times with freezing drizzle as we are in a stagnant air mass. Fog has formed as well with some icy spots on area highways. It will be a very mild New Year's Eve with a high near 0C (32F). Mild air will last into the weekend with snow at times through Sunday. While there may be an occasional burst of steady snow, we are not looking at a huge amount, perhaps 5-10cm through Sunday evening. It will be a mild start to 2016 but turn much colder late Sunday with the passage of an arctic front. Overnight lows by Monday morning may be colder than -18C (0F) for the first time this winter. While we may see some milder days in January, the trend at this time looks much colder with temperatures finally settling back to normal values.

After the record warmth - record snowfall?

From spring to mid-winter in a weekend. Heavy snow falls on L'Ile Perrot Tuesday afternoon. (ValleyWX Photo)

Depending where you were across the island of Montreal and Laval on Tuesday, you may or may not have broken the 24-hour snowfall record for December 29th. The record for the date was 30.5cm set in 1954. According to Environment Canada's website, 39cm (15.5 inches) of snow fell at Trudeau Airport, making it one of the top five December storms. However, I measured around 28cm (11 inches) here on L'Ile Perrot, so the validity of the record is in question as far as I am concerned. Winds gusted to over 80km/h in the St. Lawrence Valley, so the exact measurement of the snowfall was difficult at best. Adding to the difficulty was the presence of freezing rain and sleet along the St. Lawrence River, which affected final snow totals from location to location.

Record or not, this has been one bizarre weather month. After being above freezing for the first 27 days of the month, with multiple record highs and only 2-3cm of snow, the last two days have presented mid-winter conditions with lots of ice and snow and biting cold. The storm created numerous delays and cancellations at Trudeau Airport, along with hundreds of accidents on area highways. Holiday traffic was much lighter than normal in Montreal, which helped the traffic flow despite the snow. The cold weather is here to stay with more light snow forecast into New Year's Day. High temperatures will be around 0C (32F) through Friday, with lows down to -8C (18F).

First snowstorm blasts Montreal

Strong winds and snow have turned L'Ile Perrot into a winter wonderland this morning. (ValleyWX Photo)

A winter storm warning remains in effect today for metro Montreal and southern Quebec. Warnings are also in place for eastern Ontario and New England. Snow, freezing rain, sleet and thunderstorms are impacting road and air travel across a wide swath of eastern North America.

Montreal has already measured 10cm of snow overnight as winter has returned to Quebec with a vengeance. Strong northeast winds are blowing the snow around making travel difficult at times. The wind reached as high as 72km/h at Trudeau Airport overnight. Low pressure responsible for this storm is near Lake Huron this morning and will move east across southern Quebec. Snow and sleet will continue most of the day, along with gusty winds up to 70km/h and cold temperatures. Montreal is currently -11C (12F) with a windchill of -21C (-6F). I believe the really mild air with this system will remain south of Montreal. By comparison, Toronto has light rain at 2C this morning.

Expect accumulations in Montreal through this evening to be in the 20-30cm range. Milder air will return on Wednesday with cloudy skies and a high of 0C (32F).

Winter storm warning for Montreal

Winter Storm Warning in effect for metro Montreal, southern Quebec and eastern Ontario. Travel NOT recommended on Tuesday.

The first big winter storm of the season is poised to affect southern Ontario and Quebec starting later today. A potent storm system over the southern US will move towards the Great Lakes while a second storm forms along the east coast. Both systems will push an area of precipitation northward into the St. Lawrence Valley. We had a early taste of winters return on Sunday as snow and freezing rain created slick travel. Numerous cars slid off Highway 10 east of Montreal last evening. Around 5-10cm of snow and ice fell in Montreal Sunday.

Heavy snow and blizzard conditions forced closure of a wide swath of Interstate 40 in New Mexico on Sunday. The governor declared a state of emergency after heavy snow and strong winds left thousands stranded.

After the passage of the first system on Sunday, there is plenty of cold air in place this morning. Monday will be the coldest day of December in Montreal, with the temperature remaining below freezing for the first time this month. We can expect cold north winds and a high of only -7C (20F). Snow will begin overnight in Montreal and become heavy at times by Tuesday morning. The snow will mix with sleet and freezing rain along the US border by noon on Tuesday. Winds will increase from the northeast 30-50km/h in Montreal and Ottawa producing blowing snow. Accumulations will range from 15-20cm in Montreal, up to 35cm north of the city and around 15cm along the New York/Vermont border. Widespread warnings are now in effect across the entire region, unnecessary travel is not advised on Tuesday. The high on Tuesday in the snow will be -5C (23F) in Montreal. Conditions will improve by early Wednesday along with a milder high of 0C (32F) behind the storm.

This same system has been deadly over the last 48 hours. Over two dozen deaths have occurred from blizzards in New Mexico, tornadoes in Texas and severe flooding in parts of Arkansas and Missouri.

Freezing rain and snow as winter weather returns

Freezing Rain Warning posted for southern Quebec and eastern Ontario.

Less than 48 hours after our summery Christmas Eve, winter is making a major comeback. Freezing rain is falling this morning along the 401 corridor from Kingston into metro Montreal. North of Montreal snow and sleet are falling. A wide range of warnings are in effect, so if you plan to travel, do so with great care. For many, this is the first winter weather this season. Temperatures in Montreal are just below the freezing point this morning making for slippery travel. The freezing rain should change to snow today with the temperature steady near -1C (30F). Skies will briefly clear this evening with cold overnight lows near -10C (14F). Another storm will approach southern Quebec for late Monday and Tuesday. I will post more on that weather once today's system clears out.

A terrifying video capture of a deadly tornado in the Dallas metro region late Saturday.

The storm causing our return to winter is an area of low pressure lifting north into the Great Lakes. This system has been deadly with multiple tornadoes occurring Saturday night in the Dallas metro region. At least 11 fatalities were reported, 5 alone in Garland, Texas. Meanwhile in west Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, blizzard conditions were reported. Along the frontal boundary associated with the storm, freezing rain is occurring in an narrow band from the southern US plains to the St. Lawrence Valley. Major flooding has been occurring across the Mississippi Valley from this same storm.

Winter returns to southern Quebec and Ontario

Strong winds blew over this bus shelter in Verdun on Christmas Eve. Damage was reported across the island of Montreal and into Laval along with numerous power outages. (Photo Megan Branton)

Today will mark the 26th consecutive day with temperatures above the freezing point in Montreal, and we are likely about to record our warmest December on record. On Christmas Eve, the temperature reached 17C (63F) in Montreal, crushing the previous record of 8.3C set in 1957. It was just 1 degree below the warmest December day ever in Montreal, 18C (65F) set on December 6, 2001. It was as warm as 21C (70F) in St. Anicet and Lancaster southwest of Montreal. Along with the warmth came winds in excess of 90km/h. The winds cut power to over 150,000 homes in southern Quebec, and some still have not had their electricity restored. The gusty winds also toppled trees and knocked over carports and bus shelters. Portions of several downtown streets were closed after debris came off buildings.

WINTER RETURNS
Our attention now turns to the inevitable return of winter. We have two systems that will affect us this week with snow and freezing rain. If you have travel plans, you need to be prepared for winter weather in Ontario and Quebec this week. After a sunny Boxing Day, clouds will be on the increase tonight. A warm front and low pressure system will push clouds and snow into Montreal after midnight. We can expect a good 5-10cm of snow before in mixes with freezing rain by Sunday morning. A freezing rain warning has been posted for eastern Ontario including Ottawa. Travel will be poor tonight and early Sunday across the entire region. Temperatures will be near the freezing point today into Sunday. On Monday high pressure will briefly clear out the region along with the coldest air of the month, a low near -12C (10F) and a high near -9C (15F).

By late Monday and Tuesday, a more complex and stronger system will affect Ontario, Quebec and New England with our first real winter storm of the season. Right now we can expect 10-20cm (4 to 8 inches) of snow, mixed with sleet and freezing rain along the US border. The snow would start after midnight Monday and last well into Tuesday. I will provide more details on this storm in later posts.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you to the wonderful artist, friend and co-worker at the time Vicki, who drew this for me in 2007. You can read about her at this link.

Tornadoes & record warmth

Special Weather Statement for southern Quebec today for winds up to 80km/h.

A strong tornado moves across central Mississippi on Wednesday. (WREG TV)

As expected, Montreal has established a new record high for December 24th at 12C (54F) so far this morning. In fact, we broke the record just after midnight, eclipsing the previous of 8.3C set in 1957. Both Toronto and Ottawa are among hundreds of other locations across eastern North America that have already set new record highs for Christmas Eve, before daylight even breaks.

That is the good news. The bad news is all this wacky warm weather has lead to severe weather across the southern and central US. The last 24 hours have been deadly, with at least 6 fatalities and scores more injured across Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee north into Indiana and southern Illinois. Strong thunderstorms produced long-lasting large tornadoes. Cars and trucks were blown off interstates and numerous homes were destroyed by the large twisters. One storm in Holly Springs, Mississippi produced massive damage with 4 fatalities. More severe weather is possible today from the Carolinas to Georgia.

The low pressure responsible for this severe weather is lifting north across the western Great Lakes with a cold front sliding into the warm, humid air across the east coast. In Montreal, we can expect showers today with winds increasing to 50-80km/h by this afternoon. Temperatures will warm to 16C (61F) before falling back down to the single digits this evening behind the cold front. Christmas Day at this time looks bright and cooler with a high of 5C (41F).

Montreal Snowstorm Update

What a difference 24 hours can make in the long-term forecast. It now looks like we may have our first winter storm of the season in southern Quebec by next Tuesday. The details need to be worked out and forecast models are presenting several different scenarios. At this time, it looks like we'll have much colder weather with some form of wintry precipitation Tuesday into Wednesday. If you have travel plans play close attention to future forecasts. I will update word on the potential for this storm throughout the holiday weekend.

Warm and windy Christmas Eve forecast for Montreal

New season, same weather. December through the years has provided Montreal with many different types of weather, but none quite like 2015. With at least 3 record highs in the month and perhaps the warmest overnight lows ever for December, it will rank up there as one of our warmest. This is in sharp contrast to previous years including December 2012 shown above. (ValleyWX Photo)

Strong low pressure lifting into the western Great Lakes, along with high pressure anchored off the east coast will provide southern Quebec with the warmest Christmas Eve on record. The record for the date in Montreal is 8.3C (48F) set in 1957, this will be shattered with a forecast high of 16C (61F) expected in Montreal for Thursday. Hundreds of record highs will likely fall from the eastern Great Lakes to Atlantic Canada and down the east coast of the US.

Before then, we have fog and showers to deal with today. Dense fog this morning stretches across southern Ontario into southern Quebec and New England. A fog advisory has been issued by Environment Canada. The fog should lift by the late morning with a breezy, mild day expected and a high of 7C (45F). Temperatures will continue to rise overnight with the record likely being broken before the sun even comes up on Thursday. Christmas Eve will  be very windy with showers and perhaps even a rumble of thunder. Temperatures fall in the evening with lows expected near the freezing point by Christmas morning. At this time Christmas Day looks partly sunny and cooler with a high of 5C (41F), still well above the normal high of -4C (25F).

Storm next week?
We can expect an active and colder weather pattern to begin taking shape early next week. Several stronger winter storms are forecast to develop in the southern US, moving northeast and affecting the the Midwest and Great Lakes. We have several chances for precipitation at this time. It is early, but we may be looking at a snow and rain mix with perhaps and extended period of freezing rain late Monday and Tuesday. It is also possible that the mild air will win over once again and it will fall as rain. I will post much more on that scenario tomorrow.

Warmest Christmas Eve on record for Montreal

We are about to experience the warmest Christmas Eve on record here in Montreal, most of eastern Canada, and up and down the  east coast of the US. (AccuWeather)

I hope you enjoyed our brief taste of winter this past weekend because it is going to turn very warm this week in Montreal. Sunday was the coldest day of December in Montreal with a high of 0.0C (32F), technically not above freezing but still well above normal. That makes 20 days now without a high below the freezing point. Lake effect snow managed to work its way into southern Quebec and New England on Saturday with a trace to 1cm here in Montreal, but up to 5cm south of the city along the US border and into northern New York and Vermont. A rash of accidents occurred as drivers did not adjust to the sudden change in weather. Winds were strong and temperatures much colder than we have experienced.

The brief winter weather this weekend caused numerous accidents, including this one on I-89 south near St. Albans, Vermont. The drivers were not hurt as this Brinks truck hit the ditch. (WCAX TV Photo)

Record warmth for Christmas
It is back to warm weather this week as high pressure moves off the east coast and pumps warm and moist air north into the region. High temperatures today will be around 4C (40F), but warm to 7C (45F) Tuesday and then 15 to 30 degrees above normal by Christmas Eve. The high in Montreal is expected to be around 15C (59F) on the 24th which would shatter the record of 8.3C (47F) set in 1957. All up and down the east coast previous record highs are forecast to tumble. From Washington to New York City, Toronto to Burlington, Vermont and here in Montreal highs will range from 15C to as warm as 22C (60-72F). As a result no snow is expected this week with just some rain today and again Thursday. This will be the second consecutive green Christmas for Montreal. It will not turn colder again until Boxing Day.

Lake effect snow followed by more record warmth

Lake effect snow is falling this morning in Boonville, New York south of Watertown. Heavy snow will produce 1 to 2 feet (30-60cm) in narrow bands downwind of the Great Lakes today into Sunday. Avoid travel south on Interstate 81 from the Thousand Islands to Syracuse today if possible. (NWS Binghampton)

The coldest air mass of December is sweeping across eastern North America this morning with temperatures at or below freezing. Along with the cold air is a swath of lake effect snow and flurries that is impacting portions of Ontario, around Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, as well as the traditional snow belts of western New York. Elsewhere, it will be a chilly and blustery day with northwest winds up to 50km/h in Montreal, and steady temperatures of 0C (32F). A few flurries are possible today with perhaps a dusting of snow in some locations. Closer to lakes Erie and Ontario, 1 to 2 feet of lake effect snow is possible south of Watertown, NY along Interstate 81, as well as south of Buffalo along I-90. Despite the colder air, Montreal already had a high temperature today of 2C (36F), the 19th consecutive day above freezing. On Sunday expect partly cloudy skies in Montreal with early morning lows near -9C (16F) and daytime highs of -1C (30F).

Green Christmas

Very warm weather will return early next week guaranteeing Montreal and the entire region a green Christmas. Temperatures will be well above normal with near record highs of plus 7 to 10C (45 to 50F) forecast by Christmas Eve. Along with the warm air will be the threat for rain on Monday and again by Thursday. Whether it is raining or not, the entire week will be mostly cloudy. The mild air is forecast to last at least until the end of the month in southern Quebec.

Warm weather and rain for Christmas in Ontario & Quebec

More record high temperatures are expected as we head into the Christmas break next week. (AccuWeather)

What more can you say about this month, you are living through what will likely be the warmest December on record for Montreal, dating back to 1871. As of yesterday, the average daily high for the first 15 days of the month was 6.1C (43F), the normal average high should have been -1.4C (29F). The overnight lows are even more dramatic with the first 15 days of this month having an average low of 0.6C (33F), yes above freezing. The normal average low should be -9.3C (15F). Snowfall has been negligible with only 0.2cm recorded at Trudeau Airport. We have spent the last 15 days above freezing during the day and will likely spend the next 16 as well. I see no real threat for cold air or snow until January. We are actually looking at what could be the warmest Christmas period ever for numerous locations in eastern Canada and along the east coast of the US. A white Christmas is unlikely for anybody east of the Mississippi Valley. The snow that fell in Atlantic Canada over the last 24 hours should melt quickly.

We could have been even warmer the last 48 hours, but a stubborn northeast wind in the St. Lawrence Valley held temperatures down around 4C here in Montreal. You did not have to go far south to see record warmth in the low to middle teens. The balance of this week will be mild with rain developing on Thursday as low pressure moves towards James Bay. The weekend will be slightly cooler behind the system with perhaps a few flurries Saturday. The cooler air will be short lived with high pressure pumping more warm air north next week. Temperatures by Christmas Eve could be over 10C (50F) for Montreal. No snow is forecast next week.

Another mild - wet week ahead for Montreal

In this winter of the El Nino, snow is falling in unlikely southern locations such as western Oklahoma (above), while Montreal, Toronto, Buffalo, and Burlington, Vermont have had none. (AccuWeather Photo)

The warning for freezing rain has now ended for metro Montreal, however if you are travelling towards Quebec City or points north and east, it remains in effect.

Expect the same weather for the upcoming week that we had last week in Montreal. A storm system this morning over the central US plains is pushing a warm front across southern Quebec. Warm air will surge into Montreal today with high temperatures eventually reaching close to the record of 9.9C set in 2006 by this evening. It is however a damp and chilly morning here on L'Ile Perrot with drizzle and a current temperature of 2C (36F). Our string of very mild days continues, now at 14, as we have not had a high temperature below freezing since November 30th.

This trend will continue this week with mild air and plenty of rain. Two systems will affect Montreal, the first this evening and then another by Thursday. Steady rain and gusty winds can be expected Monday night into Tuesday morning. By Thursday, more rain is forecast, while in between expect lots of cloud cover with temperatures well above normal. Cooler air and perhaps a little snow will try to move into the Great Lakes, eastern Ontario and southern Quebec behind the second low late Friday.

On Sunday, December 13, heavy snow and blizzard conditions occurred once again in portions of west Texas and Oklahoma. This is the second big winter storm for this area with some locations reporting over 25cm (10 inches) of snow. Snow also fell across interior B.C. into southern Alberta and Saskatchewan where cooler air is now expected right up to Christmas Day.

Freezing rain expected in Ottawa & north of Montreal

Freezing rain warnings have been issued by Environment Canada for most of eastern Ontario, western and southern Quebec.

Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for the Laurentians, Ottawa Valley and eastern Ontario excluding, at this time, metro Montreal and points south to the US border. Up to 10mm of ice is expected in those regions included in the warning.

A warm front lifting across southern Quebec this evening and overnight will produce an area of rain and freezing rain. Temperatures will be marginally cool in Montreal today leading to spotty freezing rain after dark Sunday. Further north and west, there is a greater chance of freezing rain, especially along the north shore of Montreal, into the Laurentians and Ottawa Valley. Travel may be slick in spots tonight. All precipitation should change to rain early Monday from south to north, as temperatures warm well above 0C.

Record high for Montreal

It will remain very mild in eastern Canada through Christmas Day. The storm track will keep the colder air and snow form the central Great Lakes west. (AccuWeather)

Trudeau Airport reached 7.2C (45F) on Wednesday breaking a record established in 1966. As an encore the city reached 9.9C (50F) on Thursday breaking a 63 year old record of 9.4C from 1952. Today will likely be another record breaker as we are forecasting a high of 11C (52F). The record to break is 9.4C, also from 1952. Clouds and perhaps a few showers will be around most of the day along with windy conditions. Southwest winds ahead of a weather system moving across the Great Lakes, will reach up to 50km/h.

Looking ahead we can expect a mild weekend with mostly cloudy skies. A period of rain is possible to start next week with perhaps some freezing rain Monday night. I am not expecting any snow at this time as it will remain very mild. Above freezing temperatures are likely in Montreal right up to at least December 20th. The snow drought continues with only 2.2cm measured at Trudeau Airport for the season. Winter will try to make a comeback in southern Quebec and Ontario between Christmas and New Years with perhaps some snow and colder weather occurring. However, it has looked this way in the extended forecast before this year, only to have the milder pattern win out as we drew closer to the actual date. Of note, if the daytime highs remain above freezing every day in the month of December, this will be the first time this has occurred in Montreal since weather records began at McGill University in 1871.

Near record warmth expected to end week in Quebec

Record warmth is forecast into eastern Canada this weekend. (AccuWeather)

Our very mild December weather is expected to continue into this weekend for Montreal. What is most unusual about this current warm spell is that we are even staying above freezing at night. In the first 9 days of December, Montreal has only been below freezing at night on four of those days. Only December 1st had a low even close to normal at -7C (19F); the normal should be -9C (16F). Daytime highs have been mild, but plenty of low cloud cover have kept the temperatures from breaking any records. That may change Thursday through Sunday, as we can expect highs as warm as 9C (48F). Most of the eastern third of North America will see high temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal. Instead of worrying about snow and ice, portions of the central and southern US will be watching out for flooding and severe thunderstorms this weekend.

Partly sunny skies will prevail in Montreal today, but the trend has been for more clouds than sun this week. The high temperature will be 5C (41F) with a low of 3C (38F). Low pressure will then develop over the western US and head towards the central Great Lakes on Friday. If the track sounds familiar, that is because every storm this fall has done the same thing. This system will produce warm, gusty southwest winds and a few showers for southern Quebec, along with very mild temperatures into this weekend. By Sunday, deeper moisture arrives from the Gulf of Mexico, with another round of rain forecast. At this time, colder air will try to arrive by around the 20th of the month. It may be just cold enough for a little snow before Christmas, but that is still just a sliver of hope.

Last year the first snowstorm of 2014/2015 was just starting in Montreal. The 48 hour storm would dump over 30cm on the city. However just a week later mild weather would melt all the snow before Christmas giving Montreal a green holiday.

This may be the best December ever - if you don't like snow

My former Publisher at the Gravelbourg Tribune in southern Saskatchewan sent me this picture of Santa sitting on dry ground. Even normally snowy Saskatchewan is void of snow this December. (Photo: P. Boisvert - Tribune)

It is another mild December morning on L'Ile Perrot, at 3C (39F). I washed my car in the driveway yesterday as did many of my neighbours and walked the dog this morning in a jacket normally reserved for October. No matter how you look at it, this is one mild month. Expect more of the same this week, with dry, mild weather through late week. Daytime highs will range from 3 to 7C (39 to 45F) with mild overnight lows of -3C to plus 4C (27 to 41F). Next week looks even warmer.

So far in Montreal, the first 12 hours of December were below freezing, but it has been above the 0C mark ever since. From coast to coast Canadians are enjoying the mild effects of one of the strongest El Nino's on record. The cold air is trapped across the far north. But even there it is not as cold as usual. In Churchill, Manitoba, the Polar Bear Capital of North America,  Friday was the warmest December 4th on record with a high of -2.4C. Numerous daytime record highs were broken from the far west into Ontario. The overnight lows have been just as mild with Montreal dropping only to 5C (41F) Friday night, the normal should be -9C (16F) with a normal daytime high of -1C (30F). The warmer than normal start to December has meant any precipitation that falls has been in the liquid form with only 0.2cm of snow falling at Trudeau Airport in Dorval.

If you like snow, you are out of luck. Looking ahead the entire month looks warm with the unprecedented possibility of every daytime high being above freezing in Montreal. How rare is this? I looked back at the data for Trudeau Airport as far back as 1941 and no December has ever been entirely above freezing for daytime highs. I am still looking at the McGill University weather records which date back to 1871. This is truly a rare event. So prepare yourselves for a green Christmas, because if I was a betting man, I would say that is where the odds lie.

New month - same weather for southern Quebec

Freezing rain, rain and fog made for slick travel across the region from Kingston to Quebec City on Tuesday and Wednesday. Some wet snow is possible on Thursday.

 The month has changed but the weather remains the same across southern Quebec and eastern Ontario. A strong El Nino in the Pacific Ocean off South America is creating havoc with the weather patterns over North America. November was an extremely mild month in Montreal, the average temperature at Trudeau Airport was 4.4C, the normal is 1.6C. We had only two daytime highs below the freezing point, and that was in the last week. Snowfall was a paltry 2.2cm, the lowest since 2006. The average overnight low was just below freezing at -0.1C. The average daytime high, a very warm 8.7C.

As December begins, mild air this week has produced freezing rain and rain rather than snow. Some cooler air will try to work into southern Quebec behind the current storm, perhaps with a little wet snow Thursday. A pronounced west to east jet stream will result in the cold air remaining trapped over northern Canada. Just a few pockets of arctic air will slide southeast over the month, impacting mainly portions of eastern Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The trend for Montreal at this time looks very mild with high temperatures at or above freezing through Christmas. There may be a couple of opportunities for snow, but the likelihood of it staying on the ground looks slim at this time.