More snow and cold forecast for Quebec and Ontario

Massachusetts State Police responded to numerous accidents, as a late-season snowstorm affected the state. The snow remained south of Quebec. (MSP Photo)

April has started off with bone-chilling mid-winter cold despite the sunshine. The temperature in Montreal slipped below freezing Saturday night, and has been there since. We managed -3C (27F) Sunday and Monday for a high temperature. Overnight low temperatures have been either side of -10C (14F) in the city, but much colder across the suburbs. Low pressure arrives Wednesday with increasing clouds, precipitation and milder air.

On Monday, snow fell in a swath from southern Ontario towards coastal New England, remaining south and west of Quebec. In Toronto, 14.6cm of snow fell between April 3 and 4th, more than the entire month of March, when only 13cm fell. Numerous new record-low temperatures were established in Ontario this morning. In Montreal, temperatures have been as cold as -16C with the wind. The same weather system has chilled New England and the US Northeast. 

The next storm will give 5 to 20cm of snow to portions of Quebec and Ontario Wednesday into Thursday. (AccuWeather)

Wednesday, another clipper-type low-pressure system will move from Lake Huron towards the St. Lawrence Valley. With cold air in place across Ontario and Quebec, precipitation is expected to begin as snow. Snowfall warnings have been issued from the Ottawa Valley northeast across the Laurentians. Snow will spread into Ontario Wednesday morning, reaching Ottawa by the afternoon and Montreal in the evening. Expect 5 to 10cm of snow from Montreal south to the US border, with 10 to 20cm north of the city by Thursday morning. The temperature will rise to 0C (32F) in Montreal Wednesday, and above freezing to 5C (41F) by Thursday afternoon. Precipitation will change to rain in Montreal and Ottawa on Thursday morning. Travel could be difficult for the morning commute on Thursday across the entire region. Cold air and flurries will return to southern Quebec by Saturday.