Mother Nature provides the fireworks for Canada Day

Happy Canada Day. Clouds will increase across southern Quebec today with thunderstorms likely this evening. 

High pressure is in control of the weather across southern Quebec this morning. After a very pleasant Thursday, Canada Day Friday is shaping up to be sunny and warm with a high temperature near 28C (83F) for Montreal. A rather vigorous cold front over the Great Lakes will sweep into the St. Lawrence Valley this afternoon and evening along with showers and thunderstorms. Like Tuesday afternoon, some of the storms may be locally severe with gusty winds, small hail and heavy rain possible. The thunderstorms on Tuesday produced severe weather in extreme southern Quebec with 100km/h winds reported along the US border in Huntingdon. Strong storms also affected Morin Heights where trees were toppled, and 17,000 Hydro Quebec customers left without power. In Montreal, and here on L'Ile Perrot, we had lots of lightning and much needed rainfall, with 12 to 20mm reported.

Today's storms will develop over Eastern Ontario and the Adirondacks of New York early in the afternoon and move rapidly northeast into southern Quebec by 4 or 5pm. Severe thunderstorm watches may be likely for part of the region late today, so have an eye on the sky as you take part in the many scheduled Canada Day activities. The showers will taper off after midnight as cooler air arrives from the west. Overnight lows will drop into the upper teens, with a high on Saturday near 21C (70F). Saturday  will be partly cloudy, with some showers still around. High pressure arrives Sunday with sunshine and dry weather expected to last well into next week. Temperatures will warm daily from 26C (79F) Sunday, up to 30C (86F) by the middle of next week.

Funnel cloud and possible tornado near Ponoka, Alberta late Thursday afternoon (CBC News)

Alberta Tornado
Strong thunderstorms swept across central Alberta on Thursday, with hail, fierce winds and possible tornadoes. One funnel clouds produced damage near Ponoka, Alberta south of Edmonton, just missing a packed fairground. No injuries were reported. Environment Canada will be investigating the damage today to determine if a tornado did touch down.