First arctic blast of the season for southern Quebec

A strong arctic cold front will precede the coldest air of the season in southern Quebec. Some light snow and a rapid freeze is expected late Thursday night in Montreal. (AccuWeather.com)

The first shot of polar air this fall season is forecast to invade southern Quebec late Thursday and Friday. Expect gusty winds, some snow and ice and a hard freeze by Friday morning. Arctic air has taken up residence in western Canada, with temperatures in the minus teens. A portion of the same airmass will arrive behind a potent cold front late Thursday. The front should cross southern Quebec shortly after midnight early Friday morning. Temperatures will rise to around 8C (48F) on Thursday, along with an increase in clouds. 

Frigid Friday

The arctic boundary that will cross the Great Lakes and southern Quebec late Thursday, will be accompanied by gusty winds and periods of rain changing to our first snow of the season. In Montreal a dusting to 1cm may fall, along with plummeting temperatures. Some higher elevations of Quebec and New England can expect as much as 5cm. Locations near the Great Lakes and across northwest Quebec may receive even heavier amounts. By Friday morning, the temperature in the city will be at a bone-chilling -11C (12F). This will come as quite the shock to the system after the extremely warm fall we have experienced. Friday will be windy and frigid, with high temperatures no better than -5C (23F). Gusty winds in excess of 50km/h will produce windchill readings near -18C (0F). Temperatures will moderate closer to normal levels as we head into the weekend. Saturday looks sunny at this time, with perhaps a few flurries or showers on Sunday. The average high/low for this time of year in Montreal should be plus 7C (45F) and -1C (30F) respectively.