Cool start - bright week ahead for Montreal

Spectacular footage of a tornado taken by storm chaser Reed Timmer, near Wray, Colorado over the weekend. This is all part of a spring weather pattern that has produced cold weather here in Montreal, as well as snow, record heat, intense wild fires and flooding rains elsewhere.

It was a Jekyll and Hyde weekend in Montreal, with a nearly perfect Saturday followed by a cold and windy Sunday. Saturday was easily the warmest day of 2016, with bright sunshine and temperatures pushing 24C (76F) in many areas of southern Quebec. A strong cold front arrived in the wee hours of Sunday morning, accompanied by a wind shift and rapidly dropping temperatures. High temperatures on Sunday struggled to reach 10C (50F), with most locations remaining in the single digits. Light rain and gusty northwest winds added to the dismal day. This morning it is downright cold for May, with a current reading at 1C (34F). A few flurries have even been reported in the Eastern Townships and the Green Mountains. On Sunday, snow fell across portions of the lower St. Lawrence, with up to 15cm reported in the Saguenay region.

We can expect one more cold day and night here in Montreal before temperatures moderate for the balance of this week. Today will be partly cloudy, with a few afternoon showers and a high near 10C (50F). Overnight will be clear and cold ,with lows dangerously close to the freezing point. Frost advisories, already in effect in Vermont and northern New York, may be required for southern Quebec. Tuesday through Thursday will be sunny and much warmer, with highs near 20C (68F). Unfortunately, it looks like clouds and showers may return for next weekend.