Hot and humid return to school for students in Montreal

Hot and humid air will surge into Montreal and southern Quebec this week. Humidex values are expected to exceed 40C on Tuesday. (AccuWeather)

Environment Canada has posted yet another heat warning for southern Quebec through early Wednesday. The combination of heat and elevated humidity will make conditions feel oppressive over the next 48 hours. Humidex and heat index values will approach 40C (104F) Tuesday afternoon. The heat unfortunately will coincide with start of the new school year. Most schools do not have air conditioning, so it  will be uncomfortable to say the least. Temperatures are expected in the high 20s for Monday along with the risk of late day thunderstorms. Overnight Monday into Tuesday conditions will remain oppressive with lows in the low to middle 20s. On Tuesday, expect a breezy, hot day, with a daytime high of 32C (90F) in Montreal.

The hot weather will also extend into eastern Ontario, and south of the border across New York and New England. A heat advisory is in effect stateside for the St. Lawrence and Champlain Valleys. The late season heatwave will add to an already smoking hot summer. In the 84 days since the start of meteorological summer on  June 1, Montreal has exceeded 27C (80F) on 50 of those days. Included in that total are 15 days above 30C (86F).

Warm Fall
The late summer heatwave should come to an end on Wednesday, as a strong cold front ushers in cooler and dryer air. There is a chance of scattered severe thunderstorms on Wednesday for a portion of our region. With August drawing to a close, our attention will shift to fall. Current indications suggest a warm and dry September is on tap for southern Quebec. A weak El Nino is expected to develop through the fall and intensify into the winter months. If this scenario holds true, we may be looking at above normal temperatures through Christmas and into the new year.