Mother Nature's fireworks on display this Canada Day

Mother Nature will provide the fireworks today, with increasing clouds, and more showers and strong thunderstorms forecast for Canada Day in Montreal and Ottawa.

Mother Nature will provide natural fireworks today, as rounds of showers and thunderstorms are forecast for the entire region. Montreal, southern Quebec, Ontario and New England remain in a soupy air mass this Canada Day. The atmosphere will remain primed today for heavy showers and thunderstorms, as it has been most of this past week. Temperatures will be warm, 24 to 27C (75-80F), along with high humidity and very muggy conditions.

Flooding is occurring in parts of northern Vermont after torrential rain Thursday and Friday. (WCAX TV) 

On Thursday and Friday, strong storms swept across portions of the St Lawrence Valley into northern Vermont and New York. Flash flooding was reported in several locations, with roads washed out. More flooding is likely today as the thunderstorms fire up. A flood watch is in effect across all of upstate New York and Vermont. Thunderstorm watches and warnings may be likely for portions of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario including Ottawa as the day progresses. Please keep this in mind of you have any outdoor Canada Day plans. The heavy rain is falling on already saturated ground, so the potential for flooding exists across the entire region. In June, Montreal recorded 135.2mm of rain, well above the normal June rainfall of 89.3mm. On L'Ile Perrot, I recorded 127.5mm, with 130mm in Ottawa. This of course is all falling on top of the waterlogged spring we had.

After today's storms, Sunday will dawn slightly cooler and less humid, but still with a chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Conditions should improve on Monday, with dryer weather forecast for the first time in over a week. The sunny and dry conditions should persist into early Thursday.