Spring snowstorm on the way for southern Quebec

You may want to wait just a few more days before removing your winter tires. Montreal has enjoyed a very easy end to winter so far, with only 2.2cm of snow measured at Trudeau Airport during the month of March. That is about to change as a potent cold front and developing east coast storm are forecast to bring steady wet snow to southern Quebec on Thursday.

Despite sunshine and temperatures in the middle teens Tuesday afternoon in Montreal, we are looking at a spring snowstorm starting late Wednesday and persisting into Thursday. Before then, we can expect fair skies and mild temperatures through Wednesday afternoon. A potent cold front is forecast to approach from the west Wednesday afternoon, passing across southern Quebec in the early evening. Rain is forecast to develop across southwestern Quebec along with dropping temperatures throughout the evening. 

A special weather statement has been issued for southern Quebec including Montreal for up to 10cm of snow on Thursday. In northern New York and Vermont, a winter storm watch is now in effect, with 10-25cm possible. (AccuWeather.com Image)

High temperatures on Wednesday will reach a mild 14C (56F) by midday before the arrival of precipitation. Afterwards expect a steady fall to the freezing point by midnight, with rain changing to snow. The front will become stalled across eastern New England, as low pressure develops over Delaware and moves northeast towards Maine. Steady wet snow is expected in the St. Lawrence Valley through the day Thursday, with early estimates of 10-15cm for the region. Across portions of the Townships and Adirondacks of New York, 15-25cm is possible. Travel will be difficult on Thursday. 

The snow will taper off to flurries late Thursday in Montreal, with partly cloudy skies and cold temperatures expected during the overnight period and Friday. Lows will be down to -10C (14F) by Friday morning. The snowy, cold weather will be short-lived, as sunshine and mild temperatures return for the weekend.

The strong cold front expected to sweep Ontario and Quebec is part of the same storm system that hammered parts of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan on Monday with hurricane force winds and heavy snow. A peak wind gust of 159km/h (98 mph) was observed on Nakiska Ridgetop just west of the Kananaskis Village in Alberta. In Saskatchewan, winds reached 120km/h (75 mph) at Swift Current. Parts of the Trans Canada Highway were closed for hours as the wind and heavy snow made for near-zero visibility. The sudden cold was in stark contrast to the record highs that occurred just a few hours earlier on Sunday afternoon.