Unsettled but mild end to February for Montreal

Milder temperatures will help melt away some of the 97cm of snow that has fallen on the Montreal region during the month of February. While we can expect a mild weather week ahead, it comes with persistent cloud cover and a mix of light rain and snow at times. Colder air and perhaps some snow arrive by next Saturday. (Valley Weather Photo)

Winter has certainly made up for lost time after getting off to a rather slow start in Montreal during the months of November and December. February has been a throwback month, with last Sunday's storm reminding me of the storms of my youth back in the 1970s.

So on that note, winter-weary Montrealers will get a break this week, but don't pack up the shovels just yet. Mild air is streaming across the country from west to east, finally bringing the Prairie's out of the deep freeze and warming Montreal above the freezing mark for the first time in three weeks. 

Clearing away some of the 75cm of snow that fell on Montreal between February 13-17. (Valley Weather Photo)

Stubborn cloud cover will linger most of the week, as several low-impact weather systems cross the province. We can expect periods of rain and snow mixed, with the liquid form dominating the daylight hours. No system is expected to produce much in the way of amounts, with just a couple of centimetres of snow and perhaps a few millimetres of rain expected.

The big news will be the temperatures. We can expect daytime highs in the plus 3C to 5C (38F to 41F) through Thursday, with overnight lows either side of the freezing point (0C). There is a chance for some fog on a few of the mornings. There may also be some icy spots, as any melting during the day will freeze up at night.

It is probably a good time to clear the snow away from downspouts and basement windows, as well as any outdoor vents or electrical outlets. The mild weather will last until late this week. Colder air, with perhaps a more significant low pressure area arrives by Saturday. We may be looking at measurable snow to start March. 

With the couple of centimetres of fresh snow that fell Sunday morning in Montreal, we have nudged the monthly total up to 97cm. Montreal measured at least a trace of precipitation on 19 of 23 days this month. As far as temperatures go, the mercury has been below freezing for 21 of 23 days, barely rising above 0C (32F) on February 6th and 7th. February 2nd had the coldest temperature of the winter to date at Trudeau Airport, with a morning low of -21.8C (-7F).