Thunderstorms ease heat and humidity in southern Quebec

A gust front along the leading edge of thunderstorms swept a wall of dust and debris across the Trans-Canada Highway around 1:45pm Tuesday afternoon. Winds gusted between 50 and 90km/h with this storm. (ValleyWeather Photo)

Strong thunderstorms swept across southern Quebec Tuesday afternoon, helping to ease the heat and humidity present since the weekend. Temperatures have been soaring into the low 30s, with little relief during overnight hours, as lows only dropped only into the low 20s. The 4 day heatwave generated heat warnings across Ontario and Quebec, with humidex values approaching 40C.

The storms produced very little rain in Montreal, with only 1mm falling at my home on Ile Perrot. The wind was the big story, gusting up to 90km/h in many locations in southern Quebec, and generating a wall of dust as the storm swept across Dorval and Ville Saint Laurent around 1:45 p.m. There were reports of small hail in Vaudreuil-Dorion, and as many as 48,000 hydro clients were without power at the height of the storm. That number is down to 17,000 as of 9pm Tuesday night. In Rigaud, lightning struck a tree knocking it onto a tent trailer at Camp Choisy. Two injuries were reported.

Slightly cooler weather is expected for the balance of the week, with much lower dew points and humidity. A few lingering instability showers are possible Wednesday, with nothing but sunshine Thursday and Friday. Highs will be in the upper 20s.

The high temperature in Montreal on Tuesday was 31C (88F) before the storms swept in. This marks the 14th day this month with highs at or above 30C. It has been a very warm and windy month, with only half the normal precipitation. Between 40 and 50mm of rain have fallen in Montreal, but most of that occurred in just a few hours on July 11th.

Eight days in July 1969

Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11 extravehicular activity (EVA) on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969. The Lunar Module (LM) is on the left, and the footprints of the astronauts are clearly visible in the soil of the moon. Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, took this picture with a 70mm Hasselblad lunar surface camera. While astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descended in the LM the "Eagle" to explore the Sea of Tranquility region of the moon, astronaut Michael Collins, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Columbia" in lunar orbit. (NASA PHOTO)

"That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."

Neil Armstrong, July 20, 1969

The 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing
For eight days in July, 1969, three men, Commander Neil Armstrong, astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, would hold the world captivated as they completed the unimaginable, orbiting and landing on the moon. With no atmosphere to filter out the suns rays, temperatures on the barren lunar landscape can reach 125C on the sunny side, while the mysterious dark side can dip to as cold as -225C. A lunar day lasts 29 earth days, with 2 weeks of sunshine, followed by 2 weeks of darkness. NASA made the decision to land during what could be called the lunar dawn, a period at the start of the two weeks of sunshine, where temperatures would be more tolerable for the astronauts. So on July 16, 1969, the three men sat atop the Saturn V Rocket and blasted off from Florida towards the Moon's Sea of Tranquility and into history.

My entire life I have been in awe of NASA and the space program. I was much too young in 1969 to remember any of the original moon landing, however in subsequent years, my dad filled me in. There is no doubt that I was within feet of him on July 20, 1969, watching with 6 million others around the world, as Astronaut Neil Armstrong took the unprecedented first steps on the moon.

Earth and the Eagle Lunar Module as seen from the Command Module Columbia, hovering just above the surface of the moon in July 1969. (NASA Photo)

It was just what the world needed in 1969. Really, in my own humble opinion, these three men and the estimated 400,000 who worked on the Apollo program, saved the decade, at least for eight days. It was a much needed distraction from all the chaos of the 60's, if only for a few moments. The Apollo 11 mission started with the launch on July 16, 1969, and ended with the three man crew splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, southwest of Hawaii on July 24. Miraculously the entire mission was completed with only a few minor glitches, helped along by near-perfect weather during the take-off and re-entry.

The Space Shuttle Ambassador at the John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida in February 1992. It was a thrill for me to finally visit the birthplace of space flight. (Stephen Balena)

I still have my first TASCO telescope given to me back in 1973, and remain infatuated with the mystery of the moon and the heavens. This would include watching the rest of the Apollo missions and those of the Skylab space station through the 70s, followed by the Space Shuttle era of the 80s and 90s. I am looking forward with giddy delight to NASA's Project Artemis, which promises to place humans on the moon once again by 2024.

Canada's contributions to the space program are many, including the Canadarm, first used on the Space Shuttle Columbia on November 13, 1981. (NASA Photo)

High heat and humidity through Sunday for Montreal

High pressure combined with the remains of tropical storm Barry, will deliver a dangerously hot and humid air mass to southern Quebec and the Eastern Seaboard from Friday through Sunday.

Widespread heat warnings have been posted by Environment Canada for the majority of southern and eastern Ontario into southern Quebec through Saturday. The last two weeks of July are traditionally vacation period here in Quebec, so plan your outdoor activities accordingly, taking into account the dangerous heat that is forecast.

South of the border, heat advisories stretch across the Midwest, Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, into New England, the Northeast and south all the way to the Carolinas. The combination of heat and humidity will push temperatures over 100F this weekend.

A warm front will move across southern Quebec Thursday night into Friday morning, accompanied by showers and isolated thunderstorms. On Friday, very warm and moist air will stream into the region on gusty southwest winds up to 50km/h. Skies will become partly cloudy and hazy by noon, with temperatures surging into the low to middle 30s. The forecast high for Montreal on Friday is 33C (92F), with humidex values approaching 40C (104F).

There will be no relief for Montreal Friday night, with lows remaining in the middle 20s. Saturday promises to be one of the warmest days of the year, with highs in the middle 30s and humidex values rising into the low 40s across southern Quebec.

The high humidex values pose a significant risk for heat stress and heat related illnesses. Drink plenty of fluids, seek out air conditioning for at least part of the day, make certain to check on older relatives and neighbours. Be extra vigilant if you work outdoors or have activities planned through Sunday. Never leave pets or children unattended in vehicles in any heat. Car interiors can reach lethal temperatures within minutes.

Relief will arrive during Sunday, with the approach of a vigorous cold front. Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected across the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Valley southward into New England. Much cooler and drier air will arrive behind the front, remaining well into next week.

Post-tropical storm Barry to deliver heat, humidity and thunderstorms to Montreal

Post-tropical storm Barry will slowly move into the Ohio Valley by late this week. While the storm will largely dissipate, its broader circulation will draw moisture and heat into southern Quebec. (AccuWeather)

Monday will be the most pleasant day of the upcoming week in southern Quebec, with sunshine, low humidity and perfect July temperatures in the middle 20s. On Tuesday, much warmer and increasingly humid air will begin to stream into the region, pushed north by the remains of once hurricane Barry. High temperatures will be near 30C (86F) through Wednesday, and into the low to middle 30s (90F) by Friday.

Humidex values will approach 40C (105F) by the end of the week. A heat warning may be needed for portions of Ontario and Quebec. The dangerous combination of high heat and humidity will make outdoor activities rather uncomfortable. In addition to the muggy weather, abundant moisture will create very unstable atmospheric conditions, with daily chances for showers and thunderstorms from Wednesday into Saturday. By early next weekend, some of the storms may even be severe. Cooler, drier air should return to the region by next Sunday.

A very poor parking choice for this resident of Dauphin Island, Alabama. The storm surge from Hurricane Barry inundated portions of the northern Gulf Coast with up to 6 feet of water. (Weather Nation)

Barry
Hurricane Barry was a rather unconventional storm, developing over the northern Gulf of Mexico, in close proximity to the coast. The storm never really looked good on satellite images, rather elongated, with no clear center of circulation. Nevertheless, the small storm briefly reached hurricane status of 74 mph (119km/h) just prior to landfall near Intracoastal City, Louisiana on Saturday. While wind and storm surge were a threat, torrential rain and flash flooding were expected to be the real danger with Barry. However as Barry moved inland, most of the heavier rainfall remained over the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Still, 100 to 200mm of rain fell at many locations in Louisiana and Mississippi, with 250mm (10 inches) at Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Late Monday morning, what was left of Barry was located in southern Missouri, expected to drift towards Pennsylvania by the middle of the week, before being absorbed by a frontal boundary. Heavy rain will persist over the Mississippi Valley before moving northeast into the Ohio Valley and New England by the end of the week. Heavy rain from Barry, in the form of showers and thunderstorms, will also impact southern Ontario and Quebec by late Friday or Saturday.

Heatwave forecast for metro Montreal - warnings issued

Area beaches, such a the newly opened Verdun location shown above, will be extremely busy this week as temperatures soar into the 30s. (Global)

A very warm and humid air mass has prompted heat warnings for metro Montreal as well as the Ottawa Valley and eastern Ontario. High pressure will dominate the weather for the balance of the week, with sunny, hazy and humid days expected, along with very warm nights. High temperatures across the region will range from the middle 30s in urban areas to the low 30s (90-95F) away from the city. Overnight lows are forecast to be near 20C (68F). Humidex values will approach 40C, (104F), especially by Friday when the high is forecast to be 34C (94F) in Montreal. New records however will be hard to come by, as the heat will not be nearly as intense as that observed in July 2018. The only exception could come on Friday, with a forecast high of 34C easily beating out the record for the date of 30.2C set in 2016.

Environment and Climate Change Canada recommends that you protect yourself from the excessive heat by drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day, as well as spending several hours in air conditioned or cool places. Try to limit outdoor physical activities, especially during the daylight hours. As always, check on your elderly neighbours, love ones or those living alone. During the July 2018 heatwave, over 65 deaths were reported in Montreal alone. According to Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante, the city is ready this year to extend hours for pools, libraries, community centres and homeless shelters as needed. Workers will also be checking on residents and handing out water bottles to the homeless in an attempt to encourage citizens to stay cool and hydrated. Authorities also remind you the obvious, never leave your child or pet unattended in a hot car. In 30 degree plus weather, injury or even death can occur quickly.

The heat is forecast to ease slightly on Saturday, along with the risk for showers and thunderstorms. This heatwave comes during what has been to date a rather cool year. The first 6 months of 2019 have featured below normal temperatures in Montreal. The average high in June of 18.3C, was 0.3C below normal. The last month to have above normal temperatures in Montreal was back in September 2018. Montreal recorded 21 days over 30C in 2018, but only one day so far in 2019.