Major pattern change expected in Montreal to end January

The first snowstorm of the season impacted areas of the Middle Atlantic and southern US this past weekend. More snow and cold is forecast starting next weekend, which will likely cause major travel delays to and from the US east coast. The photo above was taken at a favourite location of many Montrealers, Cape May, New Jersey. (Photo David Paterno Weather Page)

With the exception of this past weekend, the winter so far has been rather docile in southern Quebec. Montreal has measured only 76.2cm of snow, 41cm of that falling in November. Until this weekend, the city had been blessed with frequent above freezing temperatures. The recent cold snap, that started Friday, has seen temperatures close to -20C, but even that is not too extreme for January in Montreal. On the weekend, we managed to miss a storm travelling across the southern US. Snow spread from the midwest across the Appalachians and into the middle Atlantic, including Washington D.C.

Changes are on the way for Quebec and Ontario. There are strong indications that frigid arctic air will flood into the eastern third of the country starting as early as next weekend. A marked pattern change is in our future, that would see well below normal temperatures through the start of February. The first taste of that will come later this week after the passage of an arctic front late Wednesday. The front will be accompanied by light snow and gusty winds. A second cold front arrives Friday, with another shot of snow, gusty winds and dropping temperatures. 

Next weekend, several computer models are hinting at a strong winter storm moving up the eastern seaboard. This storm may brush Montreal with more snow. The bigger story will be the arctic air that is pulled southward on the backside of the system. Temperatures may drop into the minus 20s by the end of the weekend, accompanied by strong winds and biting windchills.

A brief look towards the end of the month shows nothing but cold temperatures, with several chances for measurable snow. There are still lots of details to work out with each individual storm, but one thing is looking more and more certain, it will remain cold.