Storm a little less intense for Montreal - that was good news

Crews take advantage of a few hours of above freezing temperatures on Monday to plow away the 10mm of ice that accumulated overnight on Ile Perrot. The Montreal region had a huge break, as less precipitation and warmer temperatures resulted in less ice buildup. (Valley Weather)

I was very concerned with the forecast Sunday. The storm that just deposited 10-15mm of freezing rain on southern Quebec looked quite intense, with a path that would result in prolonged freezing rain for Montreal, followed by very strong winds and frigid cold. The result would have been significant and long-lasting power outages for our region. The threat was real and the forecast credible.

In the end, the difference was a track a little further north, as well as a much stronger storm. The result was slightly warmer and drier air being pulled into the Montreal region, allowing the freezing rain to change over to rain sooner, and most of the ice melting off the trees before the wind arrived. It was a gift. Even with that, Hydro-Quebec reported over 20,000 customers left without power, as well there were several serious accidents. Ice coated roads, sidewalks and parking lots, resulting in emergency rooms being flooded with a spike in patients with broken bones from falls.

Treacherous driving conditions Monday morning resulted in several serious accidents, including this one on Highway 20 just west of Morgan Road. Transport Québec closed the highway late Monday evening into the wee hours Tuesday to remove the truck from the ditch. (Photo Stéphane Brunet - Urgence Vaudreuil)

This storm was a beast. The center is currently spinning over central Quebec, with a deep central pressure below 970mb. Snow is being measured in feet around the Great Lakes, along with winds that approached 100km/h. Numerous highways have been closed and travel is not recommended, including west of Toronto on Highways 401 and 402 and north into the Barrie region and areas east of Lake Huron. The same is true south of Lakes Erie and Ontario in Western New York.

In southern Quebec, Trudeau reported 10.8mm of freezing rain, with a peak wind of 72km/h. Winds gusted to 81km/h at Saint Hubert Airport. In Ontario, a 106km/h wind gust was observed at Point Petre on Lake Ontario, with waves of over 20 feet reported on the open waters of the Great Lakes. North of Montreal, 21cm of snow fell in Rouyn along with blizzard conditions. South of the border several rare tornadoes were observed in Illinois and Indiana.

Meanwhile in Montreal, it is just windy and cold. Winds have been gusting in the 50-70km/h range Tuesday, with temperatures hovering around -13C (8F), with windchill readings in the mid -20s. Flurries are possible along with frigid cold into the overnight and New Year's Eve.