Windy, icy storm underway for Montreal and southern Quebec

Freezing Rain Warning in effect for Montreal. Orange Warning: Impact High - Forecast Confidence High

Precipitation has been fairly light so far in the Montreal region, but has still accumulated several millimetres of ice on trees and roadways. More freezing rain is forecast Monday, along with strong to damaging southwest winds up to 90km/h Monday afternoon. Widespread weather warnings are in effect across Ontario, Quebec, New York and New England. (Valley Weather Photo)

Wind Warning in effect for the St. Lawrence Valley. Yellow Warning: Impact: Moderate - Forecast Confidence: High. Wind gusts to 90km/h possible.

Strong low pressure has deepened rapidly over the last 24 hours to a sub 975mb low near upper Michigan. The storm will continue to strengthen while lifting into central Quebec on Monday.

Precipitation has overspread southern Quebec along a trailing warm front early Monday morning, with several millimetres of ice accretion already occurring. Temperatures remain below freezing, near -3C (27F), and will slowly warm to the freezing point later today. More rain is moving in from the southwest early Monday, so we can expect several more hours of freezing rain, with up to 15mm possible for Montreal, and up to 25mm in parts of the Ottawa Valley. Well north of Montreal, heavy snow is expected, with 15-25cm forecast.

A strong cold front will move across the region late Monday afternoon, with much colder air surging in behind it. Temperatures will fall from highs of 1CV )33F) today down to -12C (10F) by Tuesday morning. Windchill values will plumet into the minus 20s.

Along the front, winds will gust from the southwest and west up to 90km/h in the St. Lawrence Valley. The combination of ice covered trees and hydro lines will result in the potential for significant power outages across the region Monday afternoon. Winds will increase by late afternoon and early evening, easing back to 50 to 70km/h overnight and Tuesday.

Any precipitation will change back over to light snow and blowing snow late Monday.

Expect very icy roads and sidewalks today, along with strong winds and sporadic power outages later today. As of 6:15AM Monday, around 4000 Hydro-Quebec clients have no power, most are in the Montérégie, where icy precipitation has been the heaviest so far. 

Travel is very slow and icy Monday morning. Slow down! Call ahead to Trudeau Airport, where some delays and cancelations are being reported, especially to other eastern Canadian locations where poor weather is already occurring.