Extreme cold to last into the new year for Montreal

As year 38 draws to a close for me in the weather business, I want to thank you for reading. Weather has always been a huge part of my life since I started taking daily observations back in 1979. I am truly humbled to be able to share my passion with you. Happy New Year.

Extreme cold covers nearly two-thirds of North America on this New Years Eve, with widespread weather warnings in place from the Prairies to Atlantic Canada and into the deep southern US. Montreal is included in the cold warnings for the 5th consecutive day. On Saturday, we manged a high of -17.6C (1F), the first time in 87 hours Trudeau Airport was above -18C (0F). A new surge of arctic air arrives today, on gusty northwest winds up to 40km/h. We may make it to -19C (-2F) today. Tonight and New Years Day, the windchill will be brutal, approaching -40C. Expect mostly cloudy skies, with frigid conditions, perhaps a few flurries and a low -26C (-15F). We start 2018 cold on Monday, with a high of -22C (-8F), the night may be the coldest yet, with an overnight low of -27C (-17F) in Montreal, and -32C (-26F) in Ottawa. Temperatures will moderate slightly during the mid-week before more arctic air arrives by next Friday. With strong cold high pressure in place over the region, no major storms are on the horizon for southern Quebec.

With temperatures expected to hover near -18C (0F), and windchill values in the minus 30s, numerous outdoor New Years Eve celebrations have had to be cancelled or relocated in many cities. In Ottawa, the concert planned for the main stage to celebrate both the new year and Canada 150 has been cancelled. Organizers felt it was just too dangerous to hold the event in -25C weather. Many Canadians on social media disagree with the decision. Here in Montreal, it is business as usual, with no cancellations at this time in the Old Port of Montreal or other municipalities.

Arctic blast sweeps country

This is quite the cold snap in Montreal, challenging those of January 1957, Dec/Jan 1993-94 and Dec/Jan 1980-81. The coldest temperature ever recorded in Montreal, occurred on January 15, 1957, when the mercury bottomed out at -37.8C (-36F). This outbreak will not be as cold as those mentioned, but it will make up for that with its duration.

Crews continue to battle the bone-chilling cold, while cleaning up from the Christmas Day storm. (ValleyWX)

Frigid air continues to dominate the weather landscape across southern Canada, and into the northern two-thirds of the US. On Thursday, Montreal failed to crack the -20C mark after an icy overnight low of -27C (-17F), the coldest of 2017. At least the good news this morning, is the winds have eased, allowing for windchill values to fall to more manageable levels. At one point on Thursday morning, the windchill was -40C in Montreal. It was brutal outside. Along with the cold came the usual problems, frozen pipes, stalled cars and a slow transit system. Icy surfaces on bridges have caused a number of accidents since Boxing Day. With the cold came an increasing demand for battery boosts. On Wednesday alone, CAA-Quebec responded to nearly 8600 service calls. A fire in Verdun on Thursday was thought to have been started by someone using a blowtorch to thaw frozen pipes. No injuries were reported in the fire on Rusbrooke, but power was cut to 6000 Verdun residents. The six-unit building suffered severe damage, with the Red Cross providing temporary shelter for the occupants.

Someone thawing frozen pipes with a blowtorch may have started this 4-alarm fire in Verdun on Thursday. (CTV News)

The extreme cold warning remains in effect this morning, but temperatures will moderate slightly today, with some cloud cover and flurries forecast into Saturday. The high for Montreal today is expected to be -18C (0F), with an overnight low of -24C (-11F). On Saturday, expect a balmy high of -17C (2F). Any snowfall will result in a trace to 1cm or so through Saturday evening. On Sunday, a reinforcing shot of cold air will arrive on gusty northwest winds. Expect the temperature to remain below -20C (-4F) through New Years Eve and into Monday. Looking ahead, temperatures will warm slightly during the middle part of next week, but we may be looking at a significant snowfall on Thursday. The computer models are trying to nail down the track, stay tuned. Behind that system another surge of arctic air will arrive in Montreal to end the work week. January at this time is looking cold and snowy for the duration, sorry folks!

Dangerous cold from coast to coast to end 2017

Dangerous cold  is forecast, with windchill readings approaching -60C in parts of the country.

Cleaning up on L'Ile Perrot after 15cm of snow on Christmas Day. (ValleyWX Photo)

Another 10-20cm of snow fell across southern Quebec on Christmas Day, bringing the monthly total in Montreal to 60cm (2 feet). But this is nothing compared to the snow that has been piling up around the Great Lakes. In Erie, Pensylvania, from midnight to 6am Tuesday morning, 19 inches (48.2cm) of snow fell on the city. In less than 48 hours, 53 inches (134cm) has fallen and a whopping monthly total of 95.5" (235cm). That is roughly the average for Montreal for the entire season.

Over 134cm (53 inches) of lake effect snow fell on Erie, Pennsylvania in less than 48 hours. (Photo: Erie News Now)

In Montreal, arctic air is pouring into the area this Tuesday afternoon, on gusty northwest winds. At 2pm, Montreal was -13C (9F), with winds in excess of 50km/h and a windchill value of -23C (-9F). Blowing snow was also occurring making for slick highway travel outside the city. If you can believe it, that is likely the warmest temperature Montreal will see through Saturday. Dangerous cold has prompted extreme cold or windchill warnings from Alberta to Atlantic Canada. This morning, Fort Severn, Ontario was the coldest location in Canada at -45C (-49F), with a windchill of -55C (-67F). They are located almost 3800km from the North Pole. In Alberta temperatures hovered around -30C. In Saskatchewan, Val Marie in the deep southern part of the province near the Montana border, was -37C.

The forecast for southern Quebec calls for dry conditions but bitter cold through at least Friday. The overnight lows will range from -24C to -30C (-11F to -22F), with daytime highs struggling to get to -18C (0F). The coldest temperature I have recorded here at my home on L'Ile Perrot since we moved here in 2009, was -28.2C (-19F) on January 8, 2015. We will see if that reading is in jeopardy this week.

New winter storm to impact Quebec & Ontario for Christmas Day

With another 8 to 10cm of fresh snow falling in Montreal on Saturday, we are guaranteed a white Christmas. More snow, wind and cold is on the way this week, and right into 2018. (ValleyWX Photo)

Another winter storm will take aim at southern Ontario, New York and Quebec, as well as the New England states over the next 24 hours. The storm, currently developing south of the lower Great Lakes, will move across the Ohio Valley and off the Maine Coast by Monday afternoon. The heaviest snow will fall south of the St Lawrence River and into Atlantic Canada.

Snow will spread across southern Ontario on Christmas Eve, with 10 to 15cm expected from Windsor to Kingston. The snow will arrive in Montreal overnight and taper off late Christmas Day. Accumulations in southern Quebec will range from 5 to 10cm north of Montreal, 10 to 15cm in the city and just south of the river, and 25 to 35cm for Sherbrooke, the Eastern Townships, and along the Maine border. Expect more snow in the lee of the Great Lakes, with totals of up to 50cm by Wednesday. Winds will become a factor with this storm, especially as the system strengthens along the Atlantic Coast. Expect widespread blowing snow along the St Lawrence River Valley, with wind gusts up to 50km/h in Montreal, and 70km/h in Quebec City.

Winter Storm Warning
A winter storm warning is in effect for the greater Toronto area, all regions south of the St Lawrence River and the Townships. A blowing snow advisory is in effect for Quebec City. Regardless of whether or not your area is under a warning, travel on all highways Christmas Day will be challenging. This is especially true on both Highway 20 and 40, Highway 401, and Interstates 81, 87, 89, 91 and 93. Travel today if you can or wait until Tuesday. Frigid air will surge into southern Quebec behind the storm with high temperatures only reaching -18C (0F) by Thursday. Lake effect snow will impact western New York and portions of Ontario through the week.

Freezing rain, snow and arctic cold forecast in Montreal during the holidays

A Christmas day snowstorm is possible for many parts of Eastern Canada and New England. (AccuWeather.com)

Freezing Rain Warning in effect for southern Quebec.

Low pressure will move from the Ohio Valley across New England today. Snow mixed with freezing rain will start shortly in Montreal, lasting until at least midnight. The freezing rain should only be for a few hours in the Montreal metro region, with perhaps 2 to 5mm. More ice is expected southeast off Montreal where up to 10mm is possible locally. Snow will accumulate 5 to 10cm along the St. Lawrence Valley and points north of the region. Temperatures will rise today to around -5C (23F) in Montreal, and this will likely be the warmest temperature we see for the next two weeks.

Sunday will be the best travel day, with sunshine forecast, light winds, and high temperatures around -6C (21F). On Christmas Day, developing low pressure along the Atlantic Coast, will push snow across New England and into extreme southern Quebec and eastern Ontario. The snow will fall most of the day, with 10 to 15cm possible. Behind the storm, arctic air, the coldest in several years, will pour into southern Quebec. Daytime highs by Wednesday will struggle to reach -18C (0F), with overnight lows between -26 and -30C (-15 to -22F) in many parts of southern Quebec.

Winter Solstice arrives with cold, snow and ice in the forecast for Montreal

Traffic in Montreal has been brutal this week, with long commute times, numerous accidents and several road closures. More snowy weather is expected on Friday, with and increasing threat for freezing rain Saturday. (ValleyWX)

Winter officially arrived at 11:28AM Thursday morning in Montreal. Today we are being treated to the least amount of daylight all year long, with only 8 hours and 42 minutes. The good news is that we will enjoy bright sunshine all day. Additionally the amount of daylight will slowly increase as we move forward towards spring and summer. The bad news is, temperatures are cold, and we have lots of winter weather ahead of us over the next few months, starting with the near-term forecast.

Difficult travel conditions expected
Thursday will be sunny and cold, with temperatures hovering around -10C (14F). Overnight, clouds will thicken up in response to a very slow moving warm front and developing low pressure system moving east form the Great Lakes. The temperature will slowly warm up as well into Friday adding to what may be a difficult forecast. On Friday snow will develop by mid-morning in southern Quebec and continue into the evening hours. At this time, Montreal can expect 5 to 10cm through midnight, with more expected south of the city. As the low pressure moves down the St. Lawrence Valley on Saturday, more precipitation will develop. The temperature will warm Saturday and will be critical in determining the type of precipitation we receive. The precipitation will re-develop on Saturday, as snow mixed with freezing rain. Amounts may be significant and warnings will likely be needed for a portion of the region. Travel will be impacted across Ontario and Quebec as well as New England and the Northeast US. This is a very busy travel period, so listen carefully to future forecasts and updated warnings. Sunday is expected to be the best travel day, with clearing skies and cold temperatures.

On Christmas Day, yet another low pressure area is expected to move along the east coast. Depending which forecast model you prefer, we are either in for a snowstorm or just a few flurries. One thing is certain, the weather will turn frigid next week through the final weekend of 2017.

Unsettled holiday forecast for southern Quebec

A frozen landscape as sea smoke rises off the St. Lawrence River in Vaudreuil Dorion Sunday morning. The air temperature at the time was -21C (-6F). Milder weather will arrive for a short period this week, before arctic air returns for the holidays. (ValleyWeather Photo)

This will be a busy travel week for many as the Christmas holiday rapidly approaches. Unfortunately, the weather is not going to cooperate with several systems expected to impact the region, along with some dramatic temperature swings. Arctic air is starting to move back into western Canada. This airmass is expected to dive into the deep southern US this week, while at the same time warm air surges north along the eastern seaboard. In between the duelling air masses will be the storm track.

Freezing Rain Possible
A warm front is expected to lift north into our region Monday, with light snow and some freezing rain possible into Tuesday. Accumulations will be light with up to 5cm of snow and perhaps a few millimetres of ice here in Montreal. Eventually the warm air will win out on Tuesday, with the mercury edging above the freezing point to 3C (38F). This warmth will be short-lived, with a sharp cold front arriving on Tuesday night. Temperatures will drop into the lower minus teens by Thursday morning, and remain there into Friday. On Friday, the weather will become quite active once again, with a strong storm developing in western Canada and moving towards Colorado, before moving across the Great Lakes. Several scenarios are in play here, with the exact storm track determining the type and quantity of precipitation. This will not be an easy forecast, but right now we are looking at snow Friday, changing to freezing rain late in the day and perhaps to rain Saturday. The entire mess will freeze up on Christmas Eve day as the arctic air surges back into southern Quebec. To say the least, this type of weather will greatly impact travel across Ontario, Quebec and New England. If you have any travel plans, pay close attention to future forecasts and any warnings as the week progresses.

Frigid cold settles into Montreal behind the snow

The clean-up from the first snowstorm of the season started in most municipalities last night. The crew shown above was removing snow in Pointe Claire this morning. (ValleyWX)

The first snowstorm of the season for Montreal and southern Quebec is in the record books. The metro region received 20 to 25cm (8 to 10 inches) of snow along with gusty winds up to 60km/h. As the snow tapered off on Wednesday, the wind and cold took over, with snow drifting across area highways. The temperature fell to -19C (-2F) this morning and has been rather slow to rise to the current reading of -15C (5F) at 2pm. Windchill readings have been in the lower -20s all day.

It was a long, difficult day for most commuters on Tuesday. Heavy snow, a lack of plowing, and not enough snow tires, created long delays on Montreal roads. (CBC)

The storm resulted in a snarling commute on both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, as motorists struggled to adjust to the highly changeable road conditions. Numerous major accidents were reported across the southwest portion of the province. Highway 20 near Coteau-du-Lac was closed for a period early Tuesday due to accidents and cars in the ditch. Skies cleared on Thursday, but it remained frigid. The cold air will persist through the weekend, before moderating slightly next week. A few weak weather systems will bring some light snow late Friday and again Sunday night into Monday. Up to 10cm may be added to the current snow on the ground by Monday evening. Mild air will briefly move into the region next Tuesday, with a high near 0C (32F) forecast. The milder weather will be short-lived, with more cold air and snow arriving late next week. It looks like a cold and snowy holiday period across southern Quebec at this time.

First snowstorm snarls Montreal traffic - 20cm forecast

It was a slow morning commute in Montreal, as the first snowstorm of the year impacted southern Quebec. (ValleyWeather)

Snowfall warnings remain in effect for southern Quebec today. Expect 15 to 20cm for Montreal, with up to 30cm in Quebec City. Winds will increase today up to 60km/h, backing to the northwest tonight and increasing to 70km/h. Widespread blowing snow will be a problem.

Another winter, same old story in Montreal. For some reason many motorists and several municipalities seemed caught off guard by the morning snow. Despite predictions for this storm days ago, it was a two hour plus morning commute for many. Lack of plowing and salting on Montreal hills and highways, combined with an absence of snow tires on many cars, slowed traffic to a crawl. The evening drive will be just a challenging. The deadline to have your winter tires installed is this Friday, December 15. By next season, the date will be moved froward to December 1st, much better for all of us.

Low pressure will move from the Ohio Valley across central New England today while strengthening. Snow started in Montreal at around 4am, with close to 10cm on the ground as of 10am. Temperatures are cold and will remain that way into this weekend. The high today may reach -5C, but will drop tonight down to -12C and remain there on Wednesday.

Arctic air - measurable snow on the way for Montreal

There is more snow this morning in Texas than in Montreal. Heavy wet snow fell in places across the deep south Thursday night, including at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, the home of Texas A&M. College Station is located about 150km northwest of Houston, where light snow also fell. (Photo via Twitter @AggieFootball)

There is more snow in south Texas this morning than in southern Quebec. That being said, arctic cold and snow are on the immediate horizon for Montreal. Friday morning, the first cold front stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to Atlantic Canada. Along it snow is falling, in places where is should not be. Winter storm warnings stretch from the Mexican border into North Carolina. Further north, the cold air is sweeping across the wide open and considerably warmer Great Lakes. The result is heavy lake effect snows in several regions. Some of the narrow lake bands are moving northeast along the St. Lawrence Valley, affecting the 401 corridor from Kingston to Cornwall. A few of the snow showers have even made it into southern Quebec, with a fluffy centimetre or two falling last night on L'Ile Perrot. More snow showers are possible later today in Montreal.

On Saturday, low pressure will move up the east coast, producing a swath of 10 to 15cm snowfall from interior New England towards the Gaspe Peninsula. At the same time, a clipper system will also approach Montreal from the west, with a light snowfall Saturday night, followed by much colder air. Next week will future several opportunities for light snowfall, along with very cold temperatures. Daytime highs on Sunday will be around -2C (29F). By Tuesday through Friday, the high will only be around -10C (14F) in Montreal. Several systems will also produce light snow next week. The timing and amounts will need to be fined tuned, but a good 10 to 15cm of snow could be on the ground by next Friday. Winter has arrived!

The Halifax Explosion 100th Annivesary

Thursday, December 6, 1917, 9:04:35 AST

Halifax was booming in 1917, an extremely busy port city of 50,000. Ship traffic was heavy, especially due to the outbreak of World War I. Then, just past 9:04am on December 6, 1917, disaster struck. Read more about it HERE

Major pattern change on the way for eastern Canada

The pattern of alternating warm and cold weather that has been around most of this fall, will come to an end this week. An arctic front will bring in much colder air, that is expected to remain in Ontario and Quebec through December. (AccuWeather.com)

11:45 UPDATE: Winter Storm Watch has been hoisted for western New York counties for Lake Effect snow by Wednesday.

Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for the Richelieu Valley for late tonight and early Tuesday. Expect south winds gusting up to 90km/h.

The mild weather is about to come to an end, and won't likely return until May. No, but seriously, Arctic air is set to invade the Great Lakes over the next 48 hours, sliding into eastern Canada by the weekend. The catalyst will be a major winter storm developing over Colorado, and moving northward toward Lake Superior. Montreal, southern Ontario and Quebec will be on the warm side of the system, with a surge of mild air through Wednesday. Closer to the center of the storm, heavy rain is forecast from Michigan into central Ontario. West of the storm track, blizzard conditions are expected from the Dakotas into extreme southeast Manitoba and northwest Ontario. Forecasters are calling for 30 to 40cm of wind driven snow in some regions, along with dropping temperatures. Travel is not advised tonight and Tuesday across portions of the Dakotas, Minnesota and northwest Ontario.

In Montreal, sunshine on Monday will fade away as clouds increase. Tuesday will be cloudy and very mild, with high temperatures soaring to 9C (48F). Winds will increase tonight, becoming quite strong in the afternoon, gusting up to 60km/h. A cold front, the leading edge of the arctic air, will sweep across the area on Tuesday night into Wednesday, with gusty winds, rain and dropping temperatures. The balance of the week will be much colder, with the chance of flurries through Saturday. Temperatures are forecast to become increasingly colder as we head into the weekend. Daytime highs will struggle to reach 0C (32F) by Friday. At this time, it looks like the balance of the month will remain below freezing in southern Quebec, with frequent chances for accumulating snow. Next week, daytime high temperatures will be no better than -3C (27F). The details will become clearer as time moves along, but expect much colder weather starting late this week.