Sunshine to make a brief appearance in Montreal

A transport truck lies on its side during 100km/h winds on the Seal Island Bridge in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. A Nor'Easter produced heavy snow and rain on Sunday, from Atlantic Canada into far eastern Quebec. (NovaScotia.ca)

Welcome to my 2500th Blog Post. As always, thank you for stopping by. I appreciate your time, and enjoy talking about the weather so much, as I have since I was 10. Life has become a little challenging this year, so I do apologize for the breaks between posts at times.

November is living up to its reputation of being one of the cloudiest and dreariest months of the year. The last week has been solid proof of this in the St. Lawrence Valley, with low clouds, fog and mixed precipitation. Most of the snow that fell last week has melted away in the city. If you like the sun, try to get outside today. High pressure will nose into the region, with breaks of sunshine from time to time. Temperatures will be close to normal, with highs near 2C (36F).

The break from the poor weather will be brief, as clouds will be increasing overnight. Strong low pressure, developing in the central plains, will become our next weather maker. The storm is forecast to move from the Dakotas slowly into the Great Lakes, and eventually Quebec as the week progresses. A warm front will approach southern Quebec, overnight, with a period of mixed precipitation. Light rain and snow is possible, with perhaps a period of freezing rain, especially north of Montreal and in the Ottawa Valley. A second area of low pressure will develop along the northern Gulf Coast and move towards New England. All of this next system's precipitation will be in the form of plain rain for the balance of the week, as temperatures warm well above normal to between plus 6 and 8C (42 to 48F). Overnight lows for the week should remain above freezing as well.

Winter Tires!
Briefly looking ahead into December, early indications are for a cold and stormy period. Arctic air is poised to dive into the southern Prairies by next weekend and spread eastward into the Great Lakes. This will combine with an active storm track across the northern US and produce snow in Montreal during the first week of December. If you have not prepared your car or home for winter, take advantage of the mild week ahead to do so. I can guarantee you one thing, this December will not be anything like last year.

First winter storm splits southwest Quebec

Heavy snow fell on L'Ile Perrot late Sunday and overnight, with nearly 15cm reported. Only 5cm fell at Trudeau Airport. (ValleyWeather)

Strong low pressure, located near Quebec City this morning, will lift off towards the northeast today. Wrap-around moisture continues to impact southwest Quebec and Ontario, in the form of light snow. As expected, the rain changed to snow on Sunday, from west to east as the day progressed. It left a deep snow pack for some locations, with very little in the way of accumulations elsewhere. At my home on L'Ile Perrot, the rain changed to snow around 3:00pm. The snow fell steady for most of the evening, into the wee hours this morning. I measured a good 15cm (6 inches) of snow at 6:00am this morning, but higher amounts fell southwest of the city, in Valleyfield and across eastern Ontario.

The rain/snow split on the island of Montreal seems to have occurred around Trudeau Airport in Dorval, where 5cm fell, along with 10-15mm of rain. As you move west from the airport, the snow gets deeper; moving east it tapers off rather rapidly. The weight of the snow in my area has crushed some hedges and trees. Numerous power outages have also been reported by Hydro Quebec, with over 16,000 customers in the dark this morning. Most of these are located southwest of Montreal, and north of the Ottawa River. In Montreal, the morning commute is very slow. The major highways are in good shape, but most city streets are iced up. Light snow will continue today, with another 2-4cm possible. Gusty northwest winds will reach 40 to 60km/h, producing some blowing snow, especially along Highway 20 towards Ontario. Temperatures will be cold today, remaining steady near -1C (30F).

The first snowfall of the season today in Montreal

AccuWeather radar shows the precipitation changing from rain (green) to snow (blue) across eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley early Sunday morning. The snow will spread into Quebec later today.

Temperatures are dropping rapidly this morning in Montreal, behind a potent cold front. At 7:30 am, the temperature was 2C (36F) here on L'Ile Perrot, down from 7C (45F) at midnight. Rain has started this morning and will gradually change to wet snow this afternoon. The snow will persist into Monday, with accumulations of 5 to 10cm (2 to 4 inches) forecast for the city. Heavier snow and blowing snow is expected across eastern Ontario and far western Quebec, including the 401 corridor towards Kingston. These regions are under a snowfall warning through Monday. Accumulations in those areas, including Ottawa, will be in the 15 to 30cm (6 to 12 inch) range. Gusty northwest winds are already reaching 70km/h in southern Ontario, spreading into eastern Ontario and southern Quebec later today. Winds of 30 to 70km/h will persist into Monday afternoon.

Low pressure located over northeast Ontario will move into central Quebec today. A second area of low pressure is currently developing over southern New England and will lift into eastern Quebec. Abundant moisture, along with cold northwest winds, will produce snow over the entire region. The snow will not taper off until late Monday. The temperature will fall to -2C (29F) tonight and rise only to 0C (32F) on Monday. The Monday-morning commute will be challenging in Montreal, to say the least. Give yourself plenty of extra time.

Calm before the storm for southwestern Quebec

Blizzard conditions pounded sections of Minnesota and northwest Ontario on Friday. Numerous accidents were reported along with several fatalities from the first storm of the season. The snow arrives in Montreal by Monday. (KARE 11 Photo via Twitter)

Dense fog has developed once again this morning in Montreal. The fog is expected to dissipate by mid-morning allowing sunshine to warm temperatures to 13C (55F). The record high for November 19 is 16.7C set in 1953. We have an outside shot at this, if the wind can shift out of the northeast. On Friday, a northeast breeze resulted in a high of 9C (48F) in Montreal. At the same time, over a dozen locations in Ontario reported record highs, including Windsor at 21.6C (71F), eclipsing the record of 18.9C set in 1971.

We now shift our attention to the first winter storm of the season. Low pressure over northwest Ontario this morning is forecast to move eastward into western Quebec by Sunday. A strong cold front will sweep across the St. Lawrence Valley overnight with rain developing. Temperatures fall rapidly behind the front, with rain changing to snow in Ontario during Sunday and towards Montreal by Sunday night. A special weather statement is currently in effect for southern Quebec as well as eastern Ontario. South of the border, winter storm warnings are in effect for the St. Lawrence Valley of New York, as well as the Adirondacks and Green Mountains.

So what does all this mean? Basically we are looking at a 24 to 36 hour snowfall from late Sunday into Monday night for the entire region. Amounts will be based on elevation and how rapidly any location changes form rain to snow. At this time, the heaviest amounts are expected across the mountains of southern Quebec and New England. However, western regions of our forecast district, including Cornwall and the Seaway Valley, may see 10 to 15cm of snow by late Monday. I think Montreal will settle into the 5 to 10cm range. Temperatures will turn much colder, and strong northwest winds are forecast, a far cry from what we have been experiencing so far this fall.

Wild weather weekend for Montreal: from record warmth to snow

Dense fog slowed the Friday morning commute in Montreal. Several accidents were reported, as the visibility fell to under 0.5 kilometres. (Valley Weather Photo)

A large winter storm continues to develop over central Minnesota this morning. This system has produced snow from Colorado northeast into western Ontario. Heavy snow and strong winds are creating difficult travel conditions for a wide area of the northern plains and upper Midwest. In excess of 30cm (1 foot) of snow is forecast for Thunder Bay and the surrounding regions of western Ontario. The storm is forecast to move east into Ontario and Quebec over the weekend. On the east side of the system, in advance of the storm, warm air will surge northward into southern Quebec. High temperatures are forecast to be in the low-to-middle teens today and Saturday in Montreal. Thick fog is expected for both mornings. Once the fog burns off, expect a sunny and warm day, with near record-high temperatures for Montreal.

A sign of the seasons; The Denver metro area had a record high of 27C (80F) on Wednesday. Less than 36 hours later, snow fell, causing hazardous driving conditions and hundreds of accidents. (AccuWeather)

First Snowfall for Montreal
On Saturday night, a strong cold front, associated with the aforementioned winter storm, will slide across eastern Ontario and into the St. Lawrence Valley. A period of steady rain is expected into Sunday, along with rapidly dropping temperatures and increasing northwest winds. By Sunday night, temperatures will approach the freezing point, with rain changing to snow in Montreal and southern Quebec. Snow is forecast, in varying intensities, through Monday morning. At this time, accumulations are very difficult to pinpoint, due to the warm weather in advance of the snow. However, expect a dusting up to as much as 10cm (4 inches) in some locations by Monday. Roads may be snow-covered and slippery, so prepare now for winter driving during the Monday morning commute. I will update this situation later today and over the weekend via The Suburban Twitter feed and Facebook page as well as at valleyweather.blogspot.com

First snowflakes of the season expected in Montreal

Snowy commute on L'Ile Perrot, November 24, 2015. This could easily be the scene by Monday morning. Much colder weather and the chance of some snow is expected by the end of the weekend and next week. Get your snow tires on now.

Roughly in-line with 2015, the first snow of the season is forecast for Montreal by the end of the upcoming weekend. Before we reach that point, very mild air will surge northward into Ontario and Quebec to end this week. Clearing skies today will allow for moderating high temperatures to 10C (50F). Clear skies are expected overnight for the entire area, along with patchy fog. The forecast low will be either side of 0C (32F) in metro Montreal. Friday and early Saturday will be breezy and very mild, with high temperatures approaching the low teens. The record high for both Friday and Saturday in Montreal is 16.7C (62F) set back in 1953. We may have an outside shot at that Saturday, depending on how much sunshine we receive. This is where the good weather news comes to an end.

Install your snow tires NOW
Strengthening low pressure is expected to move from North Dakota into the western Great Lakes by Friday. This storm will provide the first blizzard of the season for portions of the western Great Lakes, upper Midwest and western Ontario. Strong winds will combine with 20cm (8 inches) of snow, to provide very poor travel weather along the Trans Canada Highway either side of Thunder Bay, Ontario by Friday morning. As this storm pulls east, a strong cold front will sweep across southern Quebec late Saturday. Temperatures will plummet from near record highs Saturday, as the coldest air of the season arrives. Daytime temperatures on Sunday in Montreal will actually fall most of the day. Overnight lows by Monday morning may be as cold as -5C (23F), with daytime highs on both Monday and Tuesday near 1C (33F). There is also a good chance rain will develop late Saturday and mix with snow by Sunday evening into Monday. Accumulations are difficult to pinpoint at this time, but expect slippery driving conditions early next week. Looking ahead into the middle and late portion of next week, the weather will remain cold in southern Quebec, with another chance of rain and snow by Thursday.

First snowflakes of the year expected in Montreal

Snowy commute on L'Ile Perrot, November 24, 2015. This could easily be the scene by Monday morning. Much colder weather and the chance of some snow is expected by the end of the weekend and next week. Get your snow tires on now.

Roughly inline with 2015, the first snow of the season is forecast for Montreal by the end of the upcoming weekend. Before we reach that point, very mild air will surge northward into Ontario and Quebec to end this week. Clearing skies today will allow for moderating high temperatures to 10C (50F). Clear skies are expected overnight for the entire area, along with patchy fog. The forecast low will be either side of 0C (32F) in metro Montreal. Friday and early Saturday will be breezy and very mild, with high temperatures approaching the low teens. The record high for both Friday and Saturday in Montreal is 16.7C (62F) set back in 1953. We may have an outside shot at that Saturday, depending on how much sunshine we receive. This is where the good weather news comes to an end.

Install your snow tires NOW
Strengthening low pressure is expected to move from North Dakota into the western Great Lakes by Friday. This storm will provide the first blizzard of the season for portions of the western Great Lakes, upper Midwest and western Ontario. Strong winds will combine with 20cm (8 inches) of snow to provide very poor travel weather along the Trans Canada Highway either side of Thunder Bay, Ontario by Friday morning. As this storm pulls east, a strong cold front will sweep across southern Quebec late Saturday. Temperatures will plummet from near record highs Saturday, as the coldest air of the season arrives. Daytime temperatures on Sunday in Montreal will actually fall most of the day. Overnight lows by Monday morning may be as cold as -5C (23F), with daytime highs on both Monday and Tuesday near 1C (33F). There is also a good chance rain will develop late Saturday and mix with snow by Sunday evening into Monday. Accumulations are difficult to pinpoint at this time, but expect slippery driving conditions early next week. Looking ahead into the middle and late portion of next week, the weather will remain cold in southern Quebec, with another chance of rain and snow by Thursday.

Mild and unsettled week ahead for southern Quebec

A rather weak coastal storm will produce clouds and much-needed rainfall for New England and portions of Quebec by late Tuesday. (AccuWeather)

High pressure remains in control of the weather across southern Quebec and eastern Ontario this morning. Gusty southwest winds continue today, as they have for the entire weekend. The wind has made the daytime temperatures feel slightly cooler, but also kept the overnight lows well above normal. I recorded an overnight low of 7.6C (46F) here on L'Ile Perrot, the normal low should be -2C (29F). Sunshine will be abundant today, along with a mild high of 12C (54F). Normally, we should reach only 6C (43F) for November 14. Winds should ease off a little, into the 20 to 30km/h range.

We have a rather active weather pattern on the horizon for the region. As mentioned, the week starts off nearly perfect, with widespread sunshine and mild temperatures. These conditions will persist into early Tuesday, before clouds begin to thicken. Low pressure developing along the east coast of the US will spread clouds and showers westward into southern Quebec late Tuesday and Wednesday. I don't expect a big rainfall event for Montreal, but it will be cloudy and showery through early Thursday. Temperatures will remain above normal for the week.

Skies will clear out by Friday, before the next weather system begins to impact southern Quebec into the weekend. The next storm will be much stronger and more typical of November. This low will develop over Colorado and move northeast into the central Great Lakes. Gusty southerly winds ahead of the storm will produce very warm weather for eastern Canada and the US. Even stronger winds on the backside of the storm will pull down the coldest air of the season so far into the northern plains. Clouds will increase next Saturday, with rain possibly changing to snow in some places by late Sunday. In advance of the storm, temperatures will be very warm Friday and Saturday in Montreal, but plummet on Sunday. This storm will bring the first major snowstorm of the season to the northern plains, southern Prairies and western Great Lakes into Friday. Heavy snow and near blizzard conditions are possible in North Dakota and southern Manitoba, including Winnipeg, by Thursday night.

Lest We Forget

Please take time on this November 11, to remember all those who have paid the supreme sacrifice to give us the freedom to live the way we do today. Without these brave men and women, Canada would be a very different place. Thank you.

Strong winds, colder temperatures to end week in Montreal

The setting sun reflects off a yellow maple on L'Ile Perrot Wednesday afternoon. The cold nights have forced the yellow maples to drop their leaves in bunches this week. Strong winds over the next 24 to 36 hours in Montreal should take care of most of the remaining leaves. (ValleyWeather Photo)

As far as November goes in Montreal, this second week has been rather spectacular. Sunshine and mild temperatures have prevailed during the daylight hours, with clear, cold nights. The trend appears to continue into the upcoming weekend and beyond, albeit with a little hiccup. A strong cold front is poised to cross the St. Lawrence Valley Thursday evening, ushering in the coldest air so far this fall. The cold will not last long, as temperatures begin to moderate by Sunday. Sunshine today will veil behind increasing clouds as the afternoon moves along. Temperatures will be rather mild, reaching 11C to 13C (52 to 55F) across the region. Winds will become rather strong today, gusting over 60km/h out of the southwest in the St. Lawrence Valley.

By evening, a few showers are possible, along with dropping temperatures as the front moves through. On Friday, we can expect windy and much colder conditions, with scattered flurries across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. Winds will be strong once again, in excess of 50km/h, this time out of the northwest. Temperatures will remain steady, around 3C (38F). Skies will clear on Friday night, with the coldest night of the season so far expected. Lows bottom out around -6C (21F) by Saturday morning. The good news for the weekend is that high pressure will be in control, with sunshine and warming temperatures, 5C (41F) Saturday and 11C (52F) Sunday.

The next chance for rain will come on Tuesday. At this time,
no unseasonably cold air or snow is on the horizon for Montreal, through at least the middle of November.

Today is the anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. You can read about this by clicking on the link on the upper left side of the page.

Strong winds - colder temperatures to end week in Montreal

The setting sun reflects off a yellow maple on L'Ile Perrot Wednesday afternoon. The cold nights have forced the yellow maples to drop their leaves in bunches this week. Strong winds over the next 24 to 36 hours in Montreal, should take care of of most of the remaining leaves. (ValleyWeather Photo)

As far as November goes in Montreal, the opening week has been rather spectacular. Sunshine and mild temperatures have prevailed during the daylight hours, with clear, cold nights. The trend looks to continue into the upcoming weekend and beyond, albeit with a little hiccup. A strong cold front is poised to cross the St. Lawrence Valley Thursday evening, ushering in the coldest air so far this fall. The cold will not last long as temperatures begin to moderate by Sunday. Sunshine today will veil behind increasing clouds as the afternoon moves along. Temperatures will be rather mild, reaching 11C to 13C (52 to 55F) across the region. Winds will become rather strong today, gusting over 60km/h out of the southwest in the St. Lawrence Valley.

By evening a few showers are possible along with dropping temperatures as the front moves through. On Friday we can expect windy and much colder conditions, with scattered flurries across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. Winds will be strong once again, in excess of 50km/h, this time out of the northwest. Temperatures will remain steady around 3C (38F). Skies will clear on Friday night with the coldest night of the season so far expected, lows bottom out around -6C (21F) by Saturday morning. The good news for the weekend is that high pressure will be in control, with sunshine and warming temperatures, 5C (41F) Saturday, and 11C (52F) Sunday.

The next chance for rain will come on Tuesday. At this time,
no real cold air or snow is on the horizon for Montreal, through at least the middle of November.

Today is the anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. You can read about this by clicking on the link on the upper left side of the page.

Sunshine makes a welcome return to Montreal

Very cold air will surge into southern Quebec next weekend. Snow flurries are likely, even in Montreal. (AccuWeather)

November is often the darkest month of the year. The cold, damp, unstable fall nights often lead to cloud cover developing shortly after sunrise. This, combined with the change of the clocks, makes November seem dark and dismal. The sun will set today in Montreal at 4:34pm. Thankfully, high pressure will crest over southern Quebec and Ontario for the next 24 hours, with abundant sunshine and warming temperatures. We start the week with a hard freeze in Montreal, and early Monday morning temperatures of -4C (26F) in the city. As mentioned, sunshine today will allow a warming trend, up to 10C (50F). Clear skies will prevail tonight, along with much warmer lows of 5C (41F). Tuesday will be the best day of the week; expect sunshine and warm high temperatures near 15C (59F). A cold front will produce showers from late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, along with cooler temperatures.

As we look ahead to the upcoming weekend, a strong cold front will usher in the lowest temperatures of the season so far. Overnight lows will drop well below freezing in eastern Ontario and southern Quebec, as cold as -6C (21F) by Sunday morning. In addition to the cold, snow flurries are possible, and even some accumulating lake effect snow closer to the Great Lakes. The forecast will need some fine-tuning as we get closer, but expect the coldest weekend of the season so far.

Cooler weather returns to Montreal to end the week

Much colder air will pour in behind the rain by late Thursday. Some snow flurries are possible by early Friday morning in Quebec and northern New England. (AccuWeather)

Partial sunshine and southwest winds helped drive the temperature up to 15C (59F) in Montreal on Wednesday. It was a welcome return after days of thick clouds and cold, damp northeast winds. Sadly, it won't last. Late fall is a difficult time for prolonged sunshine, as the long nights tend to produce increased humidity levels, helping cloud cover to form during the day, as the atmosphere becomes unstable. Clouds have increased Thursday morning in southern Quebec, and the rain is not far behind. Low pressure will slide along a frontal boundary located across New England today. Rain will develop this morning and persist into the late afternoon. Temperatures will start the day rather mild, around 10C (50F) before the precipitation begins. A cold front will cross the St. Lawrence Valley this evening, with much colder air arriving behind it. Overnight lows will drop close to 0C by morning, with even a few flurries possible in some locations.

Friday will feature more clouds than sun in southern Quebec, along with brisk northwest winds and much colder temperatures of 5C (41F) for Montreal. The weekend is expected to be mostly cloudy, with perhaps a few showers late Saturday. While I expect dry conditions most of the time this weekend, sunshine will be at a premium. Temperatures will be slightly milder Saturday, near 9C (49F), before colder air returns Sunday at 6C (43F). Depending on which extended forecast you believe, the start of November at this time, does look milder than normal.