Summer weather continues in Ontario and Quebec

Warm and humid weather will develop late today and continue into the weekend in Montreal. (AccuWeather)

After a dismal April and start to May in Montreal and most of eastern Canada, the weather is beginning to improve. Sunshine will prevail in Montreal today with a warm high of 26C (79F). A warm front to our southwest will push into the St. Lawrence Valley Friday, with breezy and very warm weather. Temperatures will reach 30C (86F) across a wide area of southern and eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. Along with the warmth will be an increase in humidity and the possibility of showers and thunderstorms. Those conditions will prevail Saturday as well and perhaps into Sunday.

Rain is needed here in Montreal. The city has only recorded 31mm of rainfall this month, while the normal should be 81.2mm. Most of that precipitation fell in the first 15 days of May, with only a trace since. Outdoor conditions remain very dry in Quebec forests, and burning is not advised. The same is true for eastern Ontario, where several watersheds are reporting minor drought conditions.

AccuWeather storm chaser, Brandon Sullivan, captures a spectacular shot of one of the many tornadoes that formed near Dodge City, Kansas on Tuesday, May 24.

Increased heat and humidity created perfect conditions for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. The central and southern US plains reported dozens of them on Tuesday and Wednesday, including several large wedge tornadoes in Kansas. Widespread damage occurred, with at least one fatality.

Tropical Storm Bonnie?
The tropical Atlantic is coming to life as well, with the potential development of a low pressure east of Florida. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are watching an area of disturbed weather a few hundred miles northeast of the Bahamas. If the system continues to develop, it could become a tropical storm by this busy Memorial Day Weekend. The storm has the potential to impact parts of the southeast and middle Atlantic US into the weekend. Hurricane season typical runs from June 1 to November 30. I was reminded yesterday, by meteorologist Steve Glazier with WPEC in Florida, that this would be the second storm of the year, Bonnie. I had forgotten about the very rare tropical storm Alex, that formed back on January 14 near the Azores. Yet another unusual weather occurrence this year.