Much needed rain this weekend

Tropical moisture may help alleviate some of the drought conditions in Ontario and Quebec this weekend. (AccuWeather.com Map)

7AM Friday Morning Update: A few weak thunderstorms this morning deposited a few millimetres of rain on L'Ile Perrot and Montreal. This was the first precipitation in 18 days. More rain is expected this weekend, possibly heavy at times. A flood watch is in effect for northern New York and Vermont. The same conditions prompting that watch state side, will exist in southern Quebec, with 25 to 75mm (1 to 3 inches) of rain possible through Sunday. Temperatures will be warm all weekend, in the middle 20s, and it will be very muggy.

Previous post below:
It remains hot and humid across eastern Canada this week, but with no rain here in southern Quebec. The last rainfall in Montreal was way back on July 25th. Hot weather has returned this week, with daytime high temperatures well into the 30s on Wednesday. Montreal fell just shy of the 1944 record of 32.8C (91F), with a high of 32.5C (91F) recorded at Trudeau Airport. Ottawa reached 35C (95F), and Toronto a scorching 36C (97F).

Thursday will feature the exact same weather, but more oppressive, as humidity levels rise. Overnight temperatures in Montreal remained uncomfortable, in the low-to-middle 20s, with highs today expected to reach the low-to-middle 30s. Combined with the humidity, the humidex or real feel temperatures will reach 40C (104F). Starting Friday, deep tropical moisture will lift north from the Gulf of Mexico. As it interacts with a front over eastern Canada, heavy rainfall is possible. The rain will come in waves, along with very muggy temperatures. Expect showers and thunderstorms from Friday through Sunday. It will not rain all the time, but when it does, it could be rather heavy at times, with some local flooding. The possibility exists for 25mm to as much as 75mm of rainfall in some locations across eastern Ontario, southern Quebec and New England. The rain will be beneficial to the moisture-starved vegetation. Temperatures will remain warm, but not as warm as we have experienced, due to thick cloud cover. Highs in Montreal will range in the middle 20s, with lows in the upper teens.