Unsettled week ahead for southern Quebec

Above & below: This past weekend was near perfect with seasonable highs near 26C (79F) and comfortable lows around 15C (59F). Abundant sunshine and low humidity made it perfect for anything outdoors. The great weather brought plenty of cars and visitors to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue for the annual Cruisin at the Boardwalk car show. (ValleyWX Photos)

 Most of Ontario and Quebec remain in an active weather pattern with frequent frontal systems bringing us showers and thunderstorms. The intense heat and humidity with values exceeding 37C (100F) remains well south of our region across the middle Atlantic and southeast US states. This has left us with moderate temperatures in the middle 20's during the day and mid teens overnight.

Adding to the influx of moisture will be the development early this week of a tropical system in the Gulf of Mexico. This storm is expected to develop in the next day or so and move into east Texas or Louisiana. Tropical moisture will stream northeast along the frontal boundary and produce rainfall by next weekend. Until then we are looking at a mix of sunshine and clouds with frequent showers and thunderstorms today into late Tuesday and once again Thursday into Friday. No one period will be wet for too long but it wont be a perfect week either for outdoor activity. This pattern is expected to hold well into next week. Temperatures will try to reach the middle 20's but it will depend on how much sunshine we get.

Rainy Friday - perfect weekend

More rain is forecast for southern Quebec today, prompting Environment Canada to issue a Special Weather Statement for the Townships. Over 30mm (1 inch) of rain is possible in the same area where cleanup continues from Tuesday nights flooding. (Photo Alex Leduc CBC News)

Another wave of low pressure and frontal boundary will pass south of Montreal over the next few hours with more rain and thunderstorms forecast. Expect 15-30mm of rain for Montreal through midnight with more than 30mm in some of the flood weary sections of the Eastern Townships.  It will be a mild and muggy day with highs near 23C (73F). It has been a wet month so far in southern Quebec with 54mm measured at Trudeau Airport through June 10 and 57.4mm here on L'Ile Perrot. Much more precipitation has fallen in other parts of southern Quebec, well over 100mm in portions of the Townships. Thunderstorms are possible as well but the strongest storms will remain south of Montreal in New York. Storms late Wednesday evening were rather spectacular all around L'Ile Perrot once again and especially across the southern Laurentians and Laval. So far every wave of severe weather this season seems to be skirting around the perimeter of Montreal.

SPECTACULAR WEEKEND
The good news for eastern Ontario, southern Quebec and northern New England is that high pressure will build into the region for a sunny and dry weekend with high temperature near 26C (79F) both Saturday and Sunday. Overnight lows will be very pleasant near 16C (60F). More rain returns for Monday.

Heavy rain - major flooding in Eastern Townships

Heavy rain, over 77mm overnight, has caused major flooding in Coaticook in the Eastern Townships. (CTV News)

Over 40mm of rain has fallen in Montreal since Monday with more thunderstorms forecast this afternoon into the evening hours. While the rain has been nothing more than a nuisance so far in the city, it has produced serious flooding southeast of Montreal.

Nearly 75mm (3 inches) of rain fell in Coaticook in the Eastern Townships in just a few hours late yesterday afternoon and into the overnight hours. The rain caused the Coaticook River to rapidly flood with roads washed out and cars swept away. Nearly 30 homes were evacuated overnight in the tiny community located south of Sherbrooke near the Vermont border. The rain also flooded Compton closing every road into that community. Firefighters had to rescue at least one motorist trapped in their vehicle. No other injuries have been reported so far. Heavy rain  and thunderstorms also occurred across central New York into northern Vermont. Several rivers in Vermont including the Winooski and Barton are reporting flooding this morning. All rivers in the region may begin to rise today due to runoff. My daughter is in Lennoxville not far from Compton, and lives on the Massawippi River, all looks good there so far.

It will be another rather warm and humid day across the region with a cold front arriving late in the day. Thunderstorms are forecast to develop in the St. Lawrence Valley in Ontario by 5pm and move southeast. Temperatures will warm to near 25C (77F) today in Montreal. Showers and storms will taper off overnight with clearing into Thursday. Temperatures will drop to 15C (60F) tonight and back up to 24C (76F) Thursday.

Warm but wet week ahead for southern Quebec

Emergency crews flank the West Jet Boeing 737 that slid off the runway Friday afternoon at Trudeau Airport in Montreal. (AP Photo)

Heavy rain showers on Friday afternoon in Montreal forced a West Jet Boeing 737, Flight 588 from Toronto, off the runway and into a grassy area at Trudeau Airport. None of the 110 passengers or crew were injured in the accident that occurred around 2:45pm in a blinding rain. Emergency crews were on the scene in seconds, but with no threat of fire, passengers were allowed to exit the plane normally. The aircraft was fully evacuated by 4pm but remained in the grass as officials carried out their investigation. This cause long delays for other aircraft arriving and departing.

The rain Friday put a damper on events at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix but thankfully most of the day was dry and the balance of the weekend was perfect for the main event.

WET WEEK AHEAD
A series of low pressure areas will move along the international border this week and produce a very humid period of weather for Montreal. Over the next 24 to 36 hours periods of showers, some heavy at times and perhaps thunder as well, will put down 25-50mm (1-2 inches) of rainfall over the entire region. I have recorded 13.6mm already since midnight or about 1/2 inch here on L'Ile Perrot. Temperatures will be near normal to start the week with the clouds and showers keeping highs in the low 20's. It will be mild overnight with lows around 15C. By Wednesday some clearing will allow the mercury to creep up into the middle 20's. By Thursday more showers and thunderstorms are possible as the rather humid weather continues.

Meanwhile a large ridge in western Canada is pumping some of the hottest June air on record into interior portions of the Pacific northwest and British Columbia. Temperatures in the Okanagon Valley exceeded 35C (95F) yesterday and will do the same today. Temperatures were over 38C (100F) in Oregon.

Great weather for Grand Prix Weekend in Montreal

No rain is forecast for the F-1 race this weekend in Montreal, unlike the 2011 event above. Rain is hard on the drivers and miserable for the fans.

 We are looking at a great weekend but a little cool for the annual Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada here in Montreal. Literally tens of thousands of tourists pour into to the city for various events leading up to the the F-1 race at 2pm Sunday at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. At this time the weekend will be framed with showers and thunderstorms, some today and more late Sunday into the overnight. In between we are looking at dry weather with temperatures a little below normal, 20C (68F) Saturday, and 23C (73F) on race day Sunday.

Today, a cold front will be moving across the St. Lawrence Valley late this afternoon with showers and perhaps a thunderstorm or two. The temperature will be close to 24C (75F) for a high. Southern Quebec is not looking for lots of rainfall, but with thunderstorms the possibility always exists for a downpour or two. Skies will clear out tonight and it will be chilly with an overnight low of 9C (48F).

AccuWeather.com late June, early July outlook.

El Nino - Summer 2015
It is early in the 2015 summer weather season but I don't like the pattern that is developing in the St.Lawrence Valley. Many different weather outlets are debating whether it will be a cool or warm summer. It looks like a moderate summer to me by all the indicators, which basically means not overly hot or cold, let's say seasonable. We have however grown very accustom to very hot summers here in Montreal, so we may find it quite cool this year. Time will tell but with a strengthening El Nino in the Pacific Ocean, the indications are it will be a slightly cooler than normal summer for southern Quebec with above normal rainfall.

Sunshine returns to Montreal

June has had a dismal start in Montreal with yesterday being downright miserable. We managed to squeeze out a 14C (57F) high very late in the afternoon as some breaks of sun appeared. Most of the day had a heavy grey overcast with drizzle and a gusty northeast wind making it feel like October. It was cold overnight with scattered frost north of Montreal and a low of 4C (39F) in the city. High pressure will begin to make it feel a little more June like today as sunshine prevails and temperatures respond, warming into the low 20's. The sun will be with us through early Friday before a cold front arrives with showers and scattered thunderstorms.

An early look into the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix weekend in Montreal shows nearly perfect weather for Formula One fans. The weather looks dry with seasonable temperatures both days with highs between 20 and 24C (68 to 75F) and overnight lows a little chilly around 9C (48F). The cooler weather should make for some great racing this weekend.

Hurricane Season
June 1st was the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season. Forecasters are expecting a below average year as the effects of a strong Pacific El Nino begin to impact North American weather. The National Hurricane Center predicts 6 to 11 named storms, of which 3-6 will become hurricanes and perhaps 1 or 2 of those major storms.

The forecast path of Hurricane Blanco in the Pacific off Mexico. (NHC)

The hurricane season starts two weeks earlier in the north Pacific Ocean and we have a strengthening named storm this morning. Hurricane Blanco is nearly stationary 445 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico with winds of 110mph early this morning. The storm is expected to intensify rapidly today and become a major hurricane. Forecast movement is towards the northwest and Blanco could affect the coast of  Baja California by the weekend, but as a weakening storm. Heavy surf will impact the west coast of Mexico all week.

Chilly start to June for Montreal

Montreal will remain just on the northern edge of a windy wet storm to start June. Clouds, showers and cool weather are expected through Tuesday.

Welcome to meteorological summer. I know it does not feel like it this morning but we have turned the page on the calendar and are now into the warmest three months of the year. We are off to a rather cool start this Monday after a bizarre weather weekend. On Saturday, Montreal had its warmest high temperature so far in 2015 at 30.5C (87F). A few spots even broke the 32C (90F) mark in southern Quebec and northern New England.  Strong thunderstorms occurred all around the city of Montreal but none here. As a matter of fact the last three severe weather outbreaks in southern Quebec have missed Montreal. Storms did occur elsewhere in the province with tress down, thousands without power and over 25mm (1 inch) of rain in a short period of time in the Laurentians along the St. Lawrence River northeast of Montreal and across the Townships. Heavy rain also fell across southern Ontario with 74.2mm in Windsor for the weekend, more than I measured at my home on L'Ile Perrot the entire month of May. The front brought a sharp drop in temperatures from 31C at my home late Saturday down to 8C by Sunday morning.

Strong wind gusts over 70km/h in southern Quebec on Saturday peeled back the roof of this apartment building in the Auteuil district of Laval. (@JWhittalTWN) (Photo: Mel Sicard)

Sunday turned out to be a very cold day with a well below normal high of only 14C (58F) in Montreal along with spotty showers and gusty northwest winds. The rainfall to end the month in Montreal brought us up to 77.2mm for May, just shy of the normal of 81.2mm. Most of the rain was convective in nature so it was highly variable around the city with only 60 to 65mm reported in Vaudreuil and L'Ile Perrot for the month, but 108.2mm at the McTavish station in downtown Montreal. May was a very warm month despite what many think. The average temperature was 16.6C (61.8F) at Trudeau Airport well above the 30 year average of 13.4C (56.1F).

June will start chilly as strong low pressure passes south of Montreal. Showers and clouds will dominate the weather through Tuesday night with temperatures no better than 15C (59F). High pressure will move into southern Quebec by Wednesday with sunny, warm and dry weather forecast to end the week.

Warm & humid Saturday - cool Sunday for Montreal

It will feel like mid July on Saturday in Montreal and late April on Sunday as a cold front sweeps through Quebec and Ontario.

A strong cold front will sweep through southern Quebec late on Saturday bringing in a cool air mass for Sunday. For Friday, high pressure will be in control of our weather. After a very cool start here on L'Ile Perrot, it is currently 9C (49F), temperatures will rebound rapidly up to 27C (81F) by this afternoon. Skies will turn cloudy overnight but it will remain warm and muggy with a low near 20C (68F). On Saturday clouds along with showers and afternoon thunderstorms will dominate the day. Temperatures will be warm and it will be quite humid with a high near 29C (85F). Some of the thunderstorms may be strong with heavy rain the main threat. Timing is everything with thunderstorms and the focus once again for severe storms may be just to the south and east of Montreal as it was on both Wednesday and Thursday.

The cold front should clear southern Quebec by midday Sunday leaving us with very chilly air to end May. High temperatures will struggle to make it to 16C (60F) on Sunday and overnight lows into Monday will drop into the single digits. There may even be scattered frost well north of the city and across the Adirondacks, and Townships. Temperatures will slowly warm into next week with above normal readings once again by Wednesday.

On Thursday, May 28, scattered showers and thunderstorms formed once again over southern Quebec, but the bulk of the severe weather was well east of Montreal. A few of the heavier showers had gusty winds in the city through the mid afternoon. Around 7mm of rain fell at Trudeau airport in Dorval, while I measured 3.4mm here on L'Ile Perrot.

Strong thunderstorms possible today in southern Quebec

A very warm and humid air mass remains in place across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec this morning with temperatures already above 21C (70F) in Montreal. The Montreal area had a very warm Tuesday with highs between 28C and 30C (83-86F). Some thunderstorms are affecting areas south and east of Montreal this morning, but the main threat will come this afternoon.

It will be a muggy day with showers and thunderstorms developing anytime after the noon hour and a high near 29C (85F). Thunderstorm activity will begin along a cold front early this afternoon, first in the Ottawa Valley and then moving into the St. Lawrence Valley, Quebec and New England. Some strong storms are possible with the main threat being dangerous lightning, heavy rainfall and gusty winds possible with any storms. The severe weather threat will taper off after 5pm for Montreal. The rain will bring a brief break in the humid weather with cooler temperatures forecast for Thursday. The heat and humidity will build again Friday into Saturday with another round of thunderstorms forecast late Saturday into Sunday.

Above & Below: Houston was added yesterday to the long list of Texas communities suffering from devastating flooding. (TWC Photos)

TEXAS FLOODING
Just a brief update on the catastrophic flooding that is taking place in Texas and Oklahoma. Large areas of both states remain under water this morning after days of thunderstorms which dumped up to 2 feet of rainfall. Added to that list was Houston, Texas where severe flash flooding early Tuesday morning claimed at least 5 lives. The death toll has exceeded 18 in the southern plains with at least 13 still missing. The flooding Tuesday in Houston was caused by a series of slow moving thunderstorms that dumped 6 to 12 inches of rain in just a few hours. Highways and large areas of the city were overwhelmed by flood waters form sewers and neighbouring bayous and streams. Across Texas the damage is unimaginable with hundreds of homes destroyed.

From frost to heat & humidity

In less than 36 hours many locations in southern Quebec and eastern Ontario went from sub-zero overnight lows with frost to high temperatures near 30C on Sunday. Montreal was no different after an overnight low of 2C (36F) early Saturday morning, we managed a sultry high of 27C (81F) Sunday afternoon.

The forecast for the week looks very summery with high pressure moving off the east coast of the US and pumping warm and humid air northward into New England, Quebec and Ontario. A strong warm front will lift northward across the entire region today with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloud cover will keep temperatures in check with perhaps 22C (72F) for a high. I don't expect severe weather but any of the storms that do develop today have the potential to produce very heavy rain. Overnight it will remain mild with lows near 20C (68F). Tuesday promises to be quite warm and humid with high temperatures at or even above 30C (86F) in eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. I expect sunshine on Tuesday. The balance of the week looks partly to mostly cloudy and very warm and humid with a chance of showers and thunderstorms each afternoon. Gusty south winds from 20 to 50km/h most days will continue to pump humid air north from the southern US.

The aftermath of strong thunderstorms in Cache Creek, BC. (CBC News)

B.C. Thunderstorms
Meanwhile in the community of Cache Creek, B.C. severe thunderstorms with hail and heavy rain produced major flash flooding early Saturday. Numerous homes were destroyed as a wall of water and mud swept the town north of Merritt. A state of emergency has been declared as the cleanup begins. Many families were trapped in their homes and scores are homeless today.

Unprecedented flooding is occurring in San Marcos, Texas. (City of San Marcos Photo)

TEXAS FLOODING
Record flooding continues this morning across portions of Texas and Oklahoma. Water levels have reached heights never seen before in many communities along the border between the two states. Major flooding has also been rolling down the Blanco and San Marcos Rivers between San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The flood waters have forced massive evacuations and resulted in a heavy loss of property and at least three fatalities. Strong thunderstorms have drenched the region with more rain in the month of May than in the last year combined. Over 20 inches of rain has fallen across north Texas this month alone.

Widespread frost tonight - weekend update

Widespread frost and freezing temperatures are forecast tonight across southern Quebec, eastern Ontario and New England. A cold front is producing sprinkles and clouds today with dropping temperatures. The high in Montreal will remain around 10C (50F), well below the normal of 21C (70F). Unseasonably cold air will settle into the region tonight with lows of plus 2C to -3C (36F to 27F). The coldest readings will be away from Montreal and any bodies of water. Needless to say if you have planted anything, you should cover them up and take precautions to protect your flowers etc. Frost and freeze advisories are in effect across our entire region with the exception of metro Montreal and Grand Island County, Vermont on Lake Champlain.

The good news is that the cold air will be short lived. A much warmer and sunny weekend is forecast with highs of 18C (65F) Saturday and 24C (76F) Sunday. Next week is looking very summer like with a warm and humid air mass enveloping the northeast and southern Quebec and Ontario. Highs will be in the upper 20's with a risk of showers and thunderstorms each day.

Major flooding is occurring in Texas as heavy rain has pushed accumulation to nearly 20 inches in May. The photo above was taken on Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, no injuries were reported. (CBS Dallas)

Southern US Flooding
The warm and humid air expected in Montreal next week will be streaming northeast from the US Gulf Coast. Much of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas is reporting copious amounts of rainfall for May. Some areas are approaching 20 inches of rain for the month. This region, especially Texas, had been in a major drought throughout 2014. Dallas/Forth Worth recorded only 21.32 inches of rain in all of 2014. So far in 2015 they already have had 21.54 inches with much more forest this weekend. Flash flood watches remain in effect.

Possible tornado in Quebec - colder weather arrives

A spectacular photo of strong thunderstorms near Drummondville taken by the Quebec Vortex team on Tuesday afternoon. (Twitter@QuebecVortex)

There is definitely a change in the air this morning in Montreal. After a muggy high near 27C (81F) on Tuesday, the temperature is a cold and dry 7C (45F) here on L'Ile Perrot this morning. Adding to the nip in the air is a 40km/h northwest wind and persistent clouds. Conditions will improve today with clearing skies and lighter winds, but it will remain quite chilly with a forecast high of only 16C (61F). Expect clear skies tonight with a cold low of only 4C (39F), as well as a chance of frost in areas away from the city. Sunshine on Thursday and warmer with a high of 21C (70F) but more cold air is forecast to arrive Friday with a high of only 12C (54F). There is an even better chance of frost by early Saturday morning. An advisory may be needed.

The unseasonably cold air arrived behind a potent cold front on Tuesday. That front generated a line of strong to severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon from just east of Montreal into the Beauce and Townships. There were numerous reports of heavy rainfall, wind damage and hail as well as a confirmed tornado on the ground near Ste-Majorique south of Drummondville. Environment Canada will be investigating the damage today. The tornado prompted an afternoon of tornado warnings across the Beauce as the cells raced east towards the Maine border.

A dusting of snow occurred in Val D'or on Tuesday. (Meteo Media)

While the summer like weather was occurring here in the south, cold air pouring into central Quebec produced snow in Val D'or and Rouyn-Noranda last evening. The May snow was accompanied by gusty winds and temperatures below freezing.

More thunderstorms in Montreal before cool down

Thunderstorms produced flooding in portions of north end Montreal on Monday night. (Twitter@CJAD800)

It was a very warm and humid holiday Monday across southern Quebec with temperatures soaring to around 30C. I recorded 32.4C (90F) here On L'Ile Perrot, while Trudeau Airport reach 29.3C (85F), and St. Anicet hit 31.8C (89F). Strong thunderstorms fired up late in the afternoon over Eastern Ontario and the upper Ottawa Valley. Widespread watches and warnings were posted including a tornado warning for portions of eastern Ontario. Some rotation was observed in several of the storms including one that ripped trees out of the ground near Maniwaki, Quebec. As the storms pressed into southern Quebec small hail, very heavy rain and lots of lightning was observed. I recorded 6.6mm of rain here on L'Ile Perrot, around 0.25" in one of the storms late last evening. The strongest of the thunderstorms missed Montreal moving north and southeast of the city. However the ones that did occur were enough to drop 10mm of rain at the airport and as much as 30-35mm downtown in less than 1 hour causing some flooding.

Strong thunderstorms today
Today a sharp cold front will bring an end to this most recent warm spell as it moves across the St. Lawrence Valley later this afternoon. In advance of the front, gusty southwest winds will reach 60km/h in Montreal with a warm, muggy high of 25C (77F). Thunderstorms will develop by 1pm in southern Quebec as well as New York and Vermont and move northeast across the region. Some of the storms may produce small hail and strong winds up to 100km/h. The weather should clear late tonight or early Wednesday followed by dry but much colder weather for the balance of the week. High temperatures will only be around 15C (59F), with lows of 5C (41F). We may even see a little frost by Friday night in areas away from the city.

Wild spring weather contiues

Strong winds, rain and snow have made for a miserable holiday weekend in Manitoba. (CTV NEWS Manitoba)

May is often one of the most active weather months of the year as what is left of the winter cold in the Northern Hemisphere battles it out with the advancing warm and humid weather from the deep south. This weekend is a perfect example of that battle and the weather is distributes over North America as the atmosphere tries to balance itself. While southern Quebec is enjoying a peaceful, sun filled long holiday weekend with warm highs over 27C (80F) other portions of the country are not so lucky with wind, frost and even snow.

A strong low pressure area has been splitting the country in half as it moves from Colorado towards James Bay. To the west strong winds and heavy rain and wet snow have been reported from eastern Saskatchewan into northwest Ontario. Winnipeg is reporting snow this morning and a temperature of -1C (30F). Widespread frost was reported in Saskatchewan. Winds have been very strong across Manitoba, in excess of 80km/h with numerous reports of trees and power lines down. The same storm has a cold front trailing from it that will eventually cut through Montreal and the St. Lawrence Valley over the next 36 hours. That front produced lots of severe weather from Texas to the Dakotas on Saturday and again Sunday. Numerous tornadoes and large hail were reported with widespread damage. More strong thunderstorms  are forecast from the Great Lakes to the Midwest today.

A spectacular shot of a tornado near Elmer, Oklahoma on Saturday. Storm chasers caught the storm as it came dangerously close to a field of cows. No injuries were reported despite major damage in Oklahoma. (TVN Weather.com)

THUNDERSTORMS & COOLER
Montreal will remain between the Colorado low and a cool marine air mass just to our east on this Victoria Day Monday. We can expect a sunny and warm day with temperatures as warm as 30C (86F) in the southwest St. Lawrence Valley. Highs will be much cooler as you head east and southeast. Tonight the first of two cold fronts will produce showers and thunderstorms with a mild, humid low around 18C (65F). On Tuesday more showers and thunderstorms are forecast as a second cold front moves across Ontario and Quebec. The high Tuesday will be 24C (76F). The balance of the week will see clearing skies but much cooler with daytime highs below normal, only near 17C (63F). Temperatures will begin to warm once again by next weekend.

A mixed bag of weather for Victoria Day weekend

Gusty thunderstorms on Tuesday produced localized heavy rain (10-20mm) and even small hail as they swept across southern Quebec around 1pm. Winds gusted over 75km/h in Montreal. This storm was moving through St.Laurent (ValeyWX Photo)

After a windy and chilly Wednesday that saw below normal high temperatures of only 15 to 17C (59 to 63F) in southern Quebec, we can expect a much warmer Thursday. High pressure will dominate the weather in southern Quebec through late Friday. It was a chilly start to the day this morning with lows down to 3.8C (38F) here on L'Ile Perrot. A frost advisory was in effect for the St. Lawrence Valley of New York, as well as portions of the Adirondacks, Green Mountains and also eastern Ontario, but there was no frost here at my home on L'Ile Perrot.

The upcoming Victoria Day long weekend is looking just ok. A warm front will produce some showers late Friday into Saturday. Most of Saturday will turn out dry but with plenty of cloud cover. By Sunday warmer and dryer air will be in place. High temperatures will range from 19 to 23C  (66 to 73F) through the remainder of the week. By Sunday we may nudge the temperature up to 24 or 25C (76 to 77F). At this time holiday Monday looks decent, but a rather vigorous cold front will produce showers and perhaps a thunderstorm by late in the day and into the overnight period.

Thunderstorms, snowstorms & tropical storms

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there!

Thunderstorms develop over L'Ile Perrot on Saturday, May 9, in the first warm and humid air of the season. (ValleyWX Photo)

We have a very active weather day across North America this Sunday as a strong spring storm moves across the central plains of the US. To the east, warm and humid air is firing up thunderstorms from Texas to the Great Lakes, Ontario and southern Quebec. A dangerous outbreak of severe weather with tornadoes is occurring from Texas into parts of Iowa today. Meanwhile to the west, heavy wet snow and strong winds with blizzard conditions are affecting the Dakotas. Travel is not advised in western South Dakota this morning.

Montreal remains on the northern edge of the warm and humid air. We managed to reach 28C (83F) on Saturday before scattered thunderstorms swept the region. As is the fickle nature of thunderstorms, I measured only 0.4mm of rain Saturday on L'Ile Perrot, while Trudeau Airport had 9.8mm. Some areas of the city and Laval has even more as the storms were much stronger in those locations. More storms can be expected today as a frontal system sags south into southern Quebec. Today will be the last really warm day for a week or so as we hit 25C (77F). Cooler air and rain will move in overnight with a raw, chilly and rainy Monday expected with highs only near 10C (50F). On Tuesday more showers and thunderstorms are forecast along a warm front with a high of 23C (73F). Things should clear out by Wednesday.

MAY? A South Dakota DOT camera shows the heavy snow and strong winds over the western Dakotas this morning. Travel is not advised in heavy snow and 50mph winds.

The warmth this week was very sudden and confined mostly to eastern Ontario and southern Quebec as we had some of the warmest temperatures in Canada. On Friday, Montreal recorded a record high of  28.8C (the previous record was 28.7 in 2013), Sherbrooke 28.4C (27.2 in 2007), and St Anicet a scorching 31.2C (29.8 in 2013).

As if all this weather was not enough, an early season tropical storm developed off the South Carolina coast this week and moved into Myrtle Beach early this morning. Tropical storm Ana has 60mph winds as well as 2-4 inches of rainfall to the east of her track. Heavy surf is pounding the North and South Carolina coast this morning as the storm slowly weakens and drifts inland today.

Crazy spring - warm for some and snow for others

Another May snowstorm for Edmonton. (Edmonton Journal)

While Montreal and most of eastern Canada finally bask in some spring and summer warmth, it was a far different story across central and northern Alberta. Heavy wet snow fell in Edmonton with as much as 20cm reported. The snow will not last very long as warmer weather is forecast by this weekend. Meanwhile the warm weather continues in Quebec. Strong high pressure will produce sunshine through Friday as it slides southeast of the region. Temperatures are forecast to reach 28 to 30C today and Friday. By the weekend more humid air will arrive as a frontal system moves east from the Great Lakes. It will remain warm and become increasingly muggy with showers and thunderstorms expected through the weekend. Cooler air will arrive next week along with showers. Conditions remain very dry across the entire area with burn bans in effect for Quebec, New York and Vermont. No outdoor burning should be done anywhere in the region as the fire risk remains extreme. Several active fires are burning in Quebec and New York.

The amazing WC-130J Hurricane Hunter aircraft on display in Halifax last weekend. (Kalin Mitchell/CBC)

 Tropical Update
The first tropical system of the season is becoming better organized off the southeast US coast. A United States Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to fly into the system later today, so we should know more on the strength of the low pressure soon. If this storm develops further (winds in excess of 39mph) it would be named Ana. Right now it looks like a rainy and windy weekend for the North and South Carolina coastlines.

Speaking of the Hurricane Hunters they are in the middle of their east coast tour visiting several communities which this year included Halifax, Nova Scotia. The goal is to show the public exactly what they do to help with the all important hurricane forecasts as well as to raise awareness of the risks from these storms. On Saturday, May 2, two aircraft including the mighty WC-130J Hurricane Hunter were at Stanfield International Airport in Halifax. Also on hand were officials from both The US National Hurricane Center and The Canadian Hurricane Center. Over 1100 people stopped by for the open house. I wished so much that I could have attended, but sadly it was not a possibility.

A surge in forest fires across Quebec

A dry spring in many portions of central and western Quebec has lead to a rapid increase in forest fires. A burn ban remains in effect across the provinces forests. (CBC)

A cold and very dry winter in southwestern Quebec and the rapid onset of warm weather has lead to an increase in forest and brush fires across the entire region. On Monday strong southwest winds gusted close to 80km/h in The St. Lawrence and Richelieu Valley's. The winds combined with very low relative humidity readings, and in many cases human error,  helped produce dozens of brush fires from eastern Ontario into upstate New York and Vermont. Most of the fires were contained thanks to the great work by local firefighters, and damage was limited. The strong winds also toppled some trees in and around Montreal.

The fire threat has been lowered in Quebec today from extreme to very high by SOPFEU. It is expected to remain that way for the balance of this week. An outdoor burning ban remains in effect in all Quebec forests province wide. As of this morning 36 active fires were reported in the province, with a total of 114 so far in 2015. The total land area affected is in excess of 140 hectares (350 acres). Those numbers represent a significant increase from the 10 year average of 84 fires and 72 hectares. A burn ban is also in effect in the entire City of Ottawa.

WARM Weather
On Monday, temperatures soared to 28C (83F) in Montreal, well above the normal of 17C (63F) but short of the record set in 1944 of 30C (86F). Record high temperatures were set in St Anicet at 28C as well as St Hubert. A weak cold front produced about 2mm of rain overnight in Montreal but sunshine has returned today. It will remain sunny for the balance of the work week, with warm highs in the 20's and lows near 12C. By Friday we may even flirt with 30C in Montreal. This means the fire risk will remain very high and no outdoor burning is advised anywhere in the region, including Quebec, Ontario and New England.

Meanwhile the tropics are showing some signs of life with perhaps a system developing off the Florida coast by the end of the week. It is early in the season, but not unheard of for such a storm to develop. If it does it would be Ana, but at this time it has a less than 40% chance of happening.

Warmest day of 2015 for Ontario & Quebec

(Video from Steve Goyet, TWN & Youtube)

Forget about spring, summer is here. The warmest weather so far in 2015 will surge into Montreal today on gusty southwest winds. Sunshine with a high near 27C (81F) is forecast. Clouds will increase tonight as a cold front approaches the region. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible tonight with a low of 15C (59F). The balance of the week looks fair and warm.

It was a spectacular sunny and warm weekend in Montreal with highs around 26C (79F) both days. The warm and dry weather over the weekend produced numerous dust devils especially Saturday. I witnessed a small one on L'Ile Perrot on Sunday. These tight, rotating columns of air are short lived but can generate winds in excess of 80km/h picking up dust and debris. One whipped up near Lanoraie, northeast of Montreal on Saturday and was captured by Steve Goyet (above).

Today's sunshine and low relative humidity along with southwest winds up to 60km/h will produce ideal weather for brush fires. There are lots of dead leaves and other dry vegetation available as fuels and therefore a special weather statement for an elevated fire risk has been posted. It is in effect for most of the northeast US and New England. While we have no such weather warnings in eastern Ontario or southern Quebec, the exact same conditions prevail. SOPFEU, who monitors forest fires in Quebec has posted a moderate to extreme fire risk for southern Quebec. All outdoor burning should be avoided today.

For more info on dust devils click HERE.

Risk of dust devils today for southern Quebec

 

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT has been issued from Environment Canada for the possibility of dust devils in southern Quebec today.

What? Yes you read it right, dust devils. It sounds more like a minor league baseball team as opposed to a weather term, but it is. Late last April I was working outside raking leaves when a rapidly rotating column of dirt and debris went down the street adjacent to my home. It was very visible and  moved quickly with a swoosh, swaying the trees and blasting the street surface with dust and dirt left over from the winter. This was basically a dust devil or thermal. They are rather harmless, but can, in the right conditions, blow over items such as awnings, umbrellas or tents. These rotating columns of air are typically small in nature, no more than 10 to 50 feet wide. They occur just about anywhere but are very common in the southwestern US and desert locations.

From WeatherStreet.com

They do occur in Montreal, particularly during the spring months. Typically they occur on days like today, strong sunshine, warm and dry. The sun rapidly warms the surface of the earth which causes rolls of air to be displaced. These parcels often get tilted and rotate away. At this time of year there is so much dust and dirt lying around from the winter that is is picked up by the column of air making it visible. They typically last seconds, blowing themselves out. The can reach up to 30 metres (100 feet) in the air and produce winds in excess of 80km/h.

You can read the official statement from Environment Canada HERE.

Other than that, enjoy the sunny, warm weekend as temperatures finally act like May. Highs in southern Quebec will be 22 to 24C (72 to 76F) this weekend with lows of 8 to 10C (48 to 50F). Enjoy!

A look back at April & ahead to May for Montreal

A large upper level low continues to produce clouds and cool weather for most of Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The dividing line seems to be Montreal.

April is just about in the record books from a weather standpoint. It was not that great a month with plenty of cloud cover and a persistent northeast flow of damp, chilly air. Two weeks worth of an upper level low pressure area did not help the numbers at all. That system continues to produce clouds and cool weather across Atlantic Canada today with the clouds drifting southwest into southern Quebec. The satellite image above displays this well with heavy clouds north and east of Montreal and partial sunshine in Ontario and northern New York. While Montreal managed 16C (61F) today it is only 5C (41F) in Halifax and 2C (36F) in Charlottetown.

APRIL IN MONTREAL
The average April temperature at Trudeau Airport through Wednesday sits at 6.1C (43F), just a few tenths of a degree below the normal of 6.4C (43.5). The average high was 11C (52F), the normal is 11.6C (53F). The average low was 1.1C (34F) very close to the normal of 1.2C. The lack of sunshine and persistent gusty winds made the month feel much colder. The extreme temperatures were -6.7C (20F) and 22C (72F). As I write this blog, most of the trees and shrubs are still struggling to bud from the lack of sunshine and real warmth. From a precipitation standpoint, rainfall was slightly above normal at 70.4mm, (normal 67.7mm), and snowfall slightly below normal at 8.2cm, (the normal is 12.9cm). The peak wind gust was 76km/h.

A warmer westerly flow should develop this weekend in southern Quebec along with more sunshine. Temperatures are forecast to reach the upper teens Saturday and low 20's Sunday. By early next week Montreal may see temperatures approach 24C (75F). The start of May is looking decent so far with warmer temperatures the rule rather than the exception. Some computer models are hinting at a potential coastal system developing next week and affecting New England, perhaps spilling into eastern Canada, but that is still several days out, stay tuned. For now enjoy the sunshine and warmth this weekend.

Finally a little sunshine for southern Quebec

It occurred to me this morning as I was walking my dog, that I have had gloves and a winter coat on for the past six months. Nobody should have to wear gloves for 6 months of the year! What a miserable weather week we have had across eastern Ontario and Quebec. Stubborn low pressure over Maine refuses to budge blocking the weather patterns right across eastern North America. Montreal has had an entire week of below normal temperatures and cloud cover. Any precipitation has been rather light including the showers that are around southern Quebec this morning.

There is a hint of hope in the forecast as weak high pressure will attempt to move into the region as the upper level low over Maine fills and weakens. It will be a slow process and with lots of moisture around clouds will remain frequent into mid week. The good news is any sunshine will warm temperatures into the middle teens. We witnessed this on the weekend, as it did not take much sunshine to squeeze out 15C (59F) on Saturday in downtown Montreal. Trudeau Airport managed 12C (54F) both days, and that is the forecast high for Monday as well. Showers are expected most of the day today with perhaps some clearing tonight. By Tuesday looks for more sunshine than clouds and a warmer high near 16C (60F). Looking ahead we see some warmer temperatures by next weekend with perhaps a 21C (70F) high in our near future.

Winter returned to portions of central Saskatchewan this weekend.
(Photo courtesy Scott Goodwill/CBC)

The weekend weather was a little wild in other parts of North America. Heavy snow fell across central Saskatchewan with 10-20cm from Saskatoon north to Prince Albert. The storm caught many by surprise as it had been rather warm lately. The warmth will return this week with highs in the 20's forecast. Meanwhile strong thunderstorms produced flooding, hail and tornadoes from east Texas into the Florida panhandle. Widespread damage was reported with more storms forecast today.

Damage is complete across parts of Nepal, and the death toll is rising after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday.

NEPAL EARTHQUAKE
As I am writing my blog this morning, the death toll in the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal, has surpassed 3000. Catastrophic damage, loss of life and injuries have been reported. Relief efforts are underway but being hampered by bad weather, loss of infrastructure including power and a heavily crowded and damaged airport in the capital Kathmandu. Canada has dispatched D.A.R.T. our emergency rapid response team as well as pledged an initial $5 million dollars in financial support. The need is great, if you can help visit the Canadian Red Cross Nepal Page.

Below normal temperatures expected for Montreal

A very slow moving area of low pressure centered over Ontario will drift southeast into Maine by the weekend. Cloudy, cool weather with periods of rain and even wet snow is possible into the weekend for Montreal and southern Quebec. (AccuWeather Image)

The stubborn, vertically stacked low pressure over the Great Lakes continues to slowly move east from Ontario into Quebec. This low has been responsible for a cold, moist dome of air over the region stretching from the upper Midwest into Quebec and east to New England and Atlantic Canada. The result has been temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below normal as well as periodic showers and even wet snow. On Wednesday, more heavy showers with even small hail occurred across metro Montreal bringing the three day rain total at my home on L'Ile Perrot up to 36.8mm.

Light rain is falling again this morning with a very cold late April temperature of 1C (34F). Gusty northwest winds of 30-50km/h will make it feel even colder today. Light wet snow is being reported across several portions of eastern Ontario and northern New York this morning, so it would not surprise me one bit if we saw a snowflake or two today and tonight. Temperatures today will reach 7C (45F) in the showers. Tonight, more of the same, rain and snow showers and a low of 0C (32F). Sadly Friday through the weekend looks identical, perhaps a few more breaks of sunshine by Sunday. Temperatures will remain below normal with lows of 0 to 3C (32 to 38F) and daytime highs of 8 to 12C (47 to 54F).

Slow start to shipping season on the St. Lawrence Seaway

The bulk carrier Juno ran aground on the US side of the St. Lawrence Seaway near the Thousand Islands Bridge and Alexandria, New York on Monday. Officials will try to free the ship today. In the meantime Seaway traffic has been stopped. (USCG Photo)

Another large freighter has run aground in the St. Lawrence Seaway system, this one near the Thousands Islands International Bridge at Ivy Lea, Ontario. The ship is actually on the US (New York) side of the river just feet from the shoreline and several homes. Unlike the incident near Montreal at the start of April, this one seems to be mechanical in nature and not weather related. The 190 metre (620 foot) long Juno is flagged under Barbados and was hauling sugar to Toronto when it struck the shore around 1:00 am Monday morning. Thankfully no injuries were reported but there is damage to the ship as she hit land hard. The US Coast Guard and several tugs will attempt to free the boat today. In the meantime ship traffic has come to a halt along the Seaway.

Soggy Weather
Just remember, April showers do bring May flowers, and we do need the rain. It has been a soggy start to the week with about 13mm of rain on Monday and another 14mm of rain overnight. It rained heavy at times on L'Ile Perrot in the wee hours this morning. There was even some lightning and thunder not too far south of Montreal along the New York border. Light rain will taper off by noon with even some partial sunshine this afternoon. Any sun will help the temperature warm to around 14C (56F). It will likely be the best day of the week as a stubborn, slow moving area of low pressure drifts from the northern Great Lakes across southern Quebec. The system will produce clouds and scattered rain and snow showers across the entire region into the upcoming weekend. It will trend a little cooler with highs near 9C (49F) and lows near 5C (41F) into the weekend. It won't be a complete washout but the weather will be less than ideal. Sunshine will finally return in full force by next Monday.

Rainy & cool week ahead

Showers on Saturday left us with this perfect rainbow late in the day on L'Ile Perrot. Sunday featured a deep blue sky and mild weather, but it will be awhile before we see the sun again. (ValleyWX)

A very slow moving low pressure area developing across the northern Great Lakes will shift east into southern Quebec by the end of this week. Deep tropical moisture is streaming northward into the system from the Gulf of Mexico. The result will be a wet and windy week for many of us. Rain will develop early this morning in the St. Lawrence Valley and spread north and east. The rain may be heavy at times with a general 15-25mm (1 inch) forecast by Tuesday afternoon. Higher amounts are forecast across the lower Laurentians, up to 50mm (2 inches), a warning is in effect for that area. Temperatures will remain relatively steady at 9C (49F) in metro Montreal. Winds will also increase out of the northeast and reach speeds of 50km/h later today. Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 90km/h (50mph) over the higher elevations of the Green Mountain and Adirondacks. Wind advisories have been posted in those regions.

The cloudy, cool and wet weather will linger through most of this week with high temperatures no better than 10 or 12C (50 to 54F). Overnight lows will be around 4C (39F) in Montreal. The unstable, cool weather will result in cloudy skies lingering into the later portion of the week and perhaps even next weekend with scattered showers and even a rumble of thunder in Montreal. There is also the possibility of a snow shower across the higher elevations north and south of the city.

Cooler wet weather on the way for Ontario & Quebec

This is what is left of winter 2014/2015 in many parts of the city of Montreal. It amazes me every spring just how much people litter in the winter. Do they not think it will surface in the spring? I keep a a bag in my car, it takes a few seconds for each of us to put garbage where is belongs and avoid this mess each year. The highways are lined with it, especially near shopping malls.(ValleyWX)

The weather will be spectacular today with sunshine and warm high temperatures up to 17C (63F) in Montreal. L'Ile Perrot is currently -2C (28F) as we continue with the wild diurnal temperature swings. This is common in spring, but the difference from high to low this past Monday was truly amazing. The overnight low at my home was -0.4C (31F) reached around 6am. By 3pm in the afternoon the temperature had warmed all the way up to 25.6C (79F) here on L'Ile Perrot. You can do the math on that one, a remarkable warm-up in such a short period of time.

Not much snow left on the ground on a 26C April day in Montreal.

High pressure that has been in control of the weather for most of this week will slide off the east coast today with a warming southerly flow. A frontal boundary will arrive overnight with showers into Friday before some clearing late in the day. On Saturday more showers are possible as another weak disturbance moves across southern Quebec. The mild temperatures of this week will begin to cool by the weekend with an extended period of below normal weather expected next week. High temperatures will range from 10 to 12C (50 to 55F) with lows of 4 to 6C (40 to 43F) into next week. In addition to the cooler weather, there will be frequent periods of rain next week with perhaps some significant amounts.

The warmest weather of 2015 so far for Montreal

Warm air will stream northward from the southern US today giving Montreal its warmest day so far in 2015

After a spectacular Sunday across southern Quebec, we can expect the warmest day of 2015 so far in Montreal today. The last of the snow melted away from my backyard on Saturday about 48 hours ahead of 2014, only patches remain in the rest of my neighborhood. The temperature manged to reach 17C (63F) on Sunday, the mildest it has been in Montreal since back in November. Warm southerly winds today ahead of a cold front will help to increases temperatures rapidly to highs of 22C (72F) in Montreal. We are currently 0C (32F) on L'Ile Perrot, so that will be quite the climb today. Expect abundant sunshine but with increasing high clouds late in the day and very windy conditions developing, especially in the St. Lawrence Valley. Winds will increase out of the southwest up to 70km/h in Montreal by early evening.

The thickening clouds are in response to a cold front crossing the region late this evening. Some showers and perhaps a rumble of thunder are possible before skies begin to clear overnight. The low tonight will remain very mild near 10C (50F). The high temperature on Tuesday, with returning sunshine by afternoon, will be near 16C (60F). The balance of the week looks decent with mild temperatures and sunshine through Thursday. A frontal system will bring a return to clouds and showers by Friday, but temperatures will remain above the normal high of 11C (52F) through the period. I will stick to my prediction made last week that we have seen the last of the accumulating snow for 2015, my snow tires are coming off Wednesday.

Much warmer weather on the way for Montreal

The snow that fell overnight in southern Quebec may be the last of the season. (ValleyWX)

The snow that fell here on L'Ile Perrot overnight may well have been the last of the season. That meandering front that has been with us all week will move north today as a strong warm front. Low pressure developing over Colorado will move northeast across the Great Lakes and north of Montreal. We can expect some sunshine early today through increasing clouds. Overnight expect rain to develop, which could be heavy at times. There may even be a rumble of thunder, a sure sigh of Spring! Temperatures will warm to 9C (49F) today and drop to 4C (39F) overnight. On Friday expect more rain and very windy but with mild temperatures near 14C (56F). Winds may gust in excess of 70km/h in the afternoon. The weekend at this time looks sunny with warming temperatures. The high Saturday will be 8C (48F) and Sunday 13C (55F). Peeking into Monday, more sunshine with a very pleasant high of 18C (65F). I can finally say goodbye to the remaining snow on my lawn!

The system bringing us the rain tonight has prompted a wide area of warnings from southern Ontario into western Quebec. Heavy rain is expected with perhaps as much as 50mm (2 inches) later today into Friday. The rain, along with melting snow and ice, may create some flooding problems in some localities. In addition to the rain, heavy wet snow and perhaps freezing rain is possible in northeast Quebec and northern New Brunswick. A winter storm watch is in effect for the regions north and east of the Saquenay region. 

In the central US the problem will be severe weather. Strong thunderstorms are likely from Oklahoma into Missouri and Illinois with the potential for large hail and isolated tornadoes. Thunderstorms are possible across a wide swath of the eastern US into southern Ontario today.

Spring weather on the horizon for Montreal

The newly constructed bulk carrier CWB Marquis was the first ship into the St. Lawrence Seaway system for 2015 on April 2. Unfortunately she ran aground due to ice just a few hours later near Beauharnois.

We are finally seeing in our future a marked pattern shift in the weather for Eastern Canada. As we all know, 2015 has seen one of the coldest starts to any year for many locations. The warmest temperature so far in 2015 at Trudeau Airport in Montreal has only been 12.8C (53F), recorded this past Friday. Of course that was followed just a few hours later by 5-10cm of snow across southern Quebec. Easter was windy and very cold, only reaching plus 1C (34F) in Montreal, well below the normal high of 9C (48F). Monday and the start of this week will be no better as we remain along a stalled frontal boundary separating much milder air to the south with the cold air damning over the St. Lawrence Valley and points north. It could have been much worse this weekend with very heavy snow, strong winds and bitter cold temperatures for April occurring over portions of northern Maine, Eastern Quebec and New Brunswick.

The bad news for Montreal is we are looking at an unsettled week as that front meanders back and forth across the valley. Temperatures will remain below normal with a mix of wet snow and rain at times. There will only be a little sunshine. The good news is that we see a major shift in the pattern allowing warmer more spring like weather to arrive by next Sunday. We should see lots of melting and the warmest temperatures of 2015 by Sunday into Monday next week Highs will reach 15C by next weekend.

57th ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY SEASON
The St. Lawrence Seaway opened to shipping last Thursday, April 2nd, about two weeks later than normal and the latest since 1997. As with the 2014 season, thick ice had delayed the opening and is currently causing further navigation problems. The Canadian Coast Guard is using no less than 5 ice breakers to try to clear the seaway of ice. It was not the best of openings as the first ship through the locks in St. Lambert only made it about 35km southwest of Montreal before an ice flow caused the ship to run aground early Friday. The newly built Canadian bulk carrier CWB Marquis encountered the ice near Beauharnois, Quebec, not far from my backyard here on L'Ile Perrot. Two tugs set the ship free several hours later after the Transportation Safety Board of Canada gave the all clear. The ice, more than three feet thick in places, is still breaking up on the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes. Large ice flows will continue to be problematic for several more days at the very least.

Spring to Winter in 12 hours

Snow blankets L'Ile Perrot this morning bringing a halt to our one day taste of Spring. (ValleyWX Photo)

It really did feel like spring Friday afternoon. I managed a long walk with Bella my 20 pound Terrier, with my jacket wide open, no gloves, no hat, Spring! The temperature, 13C (55F) at 4pm, snow melting, it was beautiful in the bright sunshine. This morning, not so much. The temperature has managed to slide a full 17 degrees to -4C (25F). The rain changed to snow around 3am and has accumulated 5-10cm across southern Quebec. Winds increased as well up to 40km/h making it feel much colder and actually blowing the snow around. It is just plain nasty out there with snow covered icy roads. There have been several accidents overnight and early this morning including one that has Highway 640 closed north of Montreal.

The snow should taper off by noon with clearing skies, but windy and chilly with a high just above freezing near 2C (36F). Overnight will partly cloudy with flurries and cold with and Easter morning low of -8C (18F). It will be a sunny and cold Easter with a high of only 1C (34F).

This same storm system has been responsible for major flooding across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys as well as tornadoes and hail. It has also produced heavy snow across the Eastern Townships of Quebec into northern New England and Atlantic Canada.

Snow for Easter Weekend

Special Weather Statement for snow for southern Quebec.
Winter Weather Advisory for snow: Adirondacks, Northeast Vermont.

The seasons will do battle this weekend as is typical in the volatile season of spring. There is plenty of energy available in the atmosphere from April through June, that is why we have so much severe weather in the central and southern plains of the US. Cold air remains in control of portions of central and far northern Canada while warm and humid air has started streaming northward form the Gulf of Mexico. This scenario will be all too clear in Montreal over the next 24 hours. We start this morning very mild at plus 6C (43F) with the prospect of our warmest day since early November. With some sunshine through thickening clouds we may reach 14C (56F) in Montreal and Ottawa.

A strong cold front will move across the region late this evening stalling to our south separating the warm air from unseasonably cold air that will become our reality for this weekend. The temperature will crash from today's warm highs down to -3C (27F) overnight. Low pressure will develop and move along the front with rain developing this evening and changing to snow overnight in Montreal. Wet snow is likely Saturday with a cold high of only 2C (36F). The heaviest snow will fall south and east of Montreal with 10-15cm in Sherbrooke and northeast Vermont. From Montreal east to Quebec City we can expect 5-10cm with 2-4cm for the Ottawa Valley and eastern Ontario. The snow will taper off Saturday but it will be a raw and chilly day. Temperatures will be cold Saturday night with lows of -7C (19F). Easter Sunday will be partly sunny and cold with a high of only 2C (36F).

Looking ahead to next week, it remains unsettled and cold for early April with the chance for more snow. The good news is we see some above normal temperatures finally by the middle of this month so don`t loose hope.

April Fools forecast - Easter snowstorm?

We just can't shake the winter blues. The snow is melting, ever so slowly. The average temperatures are creeping up, ever so slowly, and lastly the sunshine is growing stronger. But that nasty morning chill just won't leave us. On Wednesday morning we managed a low of -10.6C (13F) here on L'Ile Perrot, well below the normal of -2C (28F). If we manage to squeeze out a plus 2 or 3C (36 to 38F) today for a high it will still be below the normal of 7C (45F). Such has been the case through the early portion of Spring 2015 in Montreal. High pressure will dominate today before the weather becomes very active Thursday and into the Easter holiday weekend.

SNOWSTORM?
A warm front will advance into southern Ontario and Quebec on Thursday into Friday with a period of light rain or even some spotty freezing rain followed by showers and very mild temperatures on Friday. We may see double digit highs on Friday of 10 to 14C (50 to 56F) across eastern Ontario and Quebec. Friday night a strong cold front will sweep the St. Lawrence Valley with rapidly dropping temperatures down to -4C (25F) by Saturday morning. At the same time low pressure will develop and move along that front south of Montreal spreading snow into the region. So after a warm high of 12 or 14 on Friday the temperature will plunge to well below freezing. At this time Saturday looks windy and cold with a high of only -3C (27F) and snow. Early estimates are for 5-10cm for southern Quebec but that amount could change either way depending on the eventual development and track of storm system.