Windy arctic front to start meteorological Spring in Montreal

A potent warm front delivered over 10cm of wet snow to Montreal on Saturday, February 27. The snow caught many by surprise, creating very poor driving conditions during most of the day. (Valley Weather Photo)

Arctic cold front arrives late Monday.

Poor road conditions are possible Monday afternoon and evening, as 2 to 5cm of snow are possible along the cold front, as well as a flash freeze due to sharply falling temperatures.

Sunday was spectacular as warm sunshine pushed the temperature up to 6C (43F) on Ile Perrot, as we say goodbye to meteorological winter and hello to spring. There was plenty of melting just 24 hours after a rather strong warm front delivered 10cm of snow to Montreal. The snow was heavy and wet and not really expected. The snow should have changed to mostly rain in Montreal almost immediately, but marginally cold air allowed the precipitation to remain as all snow for the duration, with just some light rain mixing in as the front lifted north of the city.

A weak area of low pressure is now forecast to move across southern Quebec Sunday evening, accompanied by light precipitation, mostly in the form of rain. There is even a slight chance of a rumble or two of thunder, especially across eastern Ontario. Gusty winds are also expected to develop this evening, reaching as high as 90km/h southeast of Montreal in the Richelieu Valley.

ARCTIC FRONT

On Monday, a strong arctic boundary will approach southern Quebec, bringing an abrupt end to our early spring weather. Much colder air will pour into the region as the day progresses, with a very mild high of 4C (39F) reached early in the day. As the main arctic boundary crosses the region late Monday afternoon, frigid air will pour in, accompanied by scattered snow showers. Some of the snow showers may be briefly heavy, with blowing snow and reduced visibility. Winds will veer back to the northwest and gust to 60km/h into the overnight hours Monday. Temperatures will plummet down to -5C (23F) by the late afternoon, and -16C (4F) by Tuesday morning. Tuesday will be sunny, but breezy and unseasonably cold, with a high of -8C (18F).

Unsettled but mild weather ahead for Montreal

Crews were busy over the weekend removing some of the mounds of snow in the AMT parking lot in Vaudreuil. Over 100cm of snow has fallen across southern Quebec since early January. With temperatures largely remaining below freezing over the last few weeks, much of the snow remains on the ground. The current snowpack of 42cm at Trudeau Airport is the deepest in over a decade. (Valley Weather Photo)

Could we be looking at the end of winter already? A very mild period of weather is forecast across southern Quebec over the next week and perhaps even longer. Temperatures will be at or slightly above the freezing point as we head towards the start of meteorological spring on March 1st. While it has not been a particularly difficult winter, the last few weeks have still seemed rather snowy and cold in Montreal. We have been lucky this winter as the strongest storms and bitter cold have stayed away form southern Quebec.

That being said, since January 1st, the temperature has risen above the freezing point on only eight days in Montreal, and always between 0 and 3C (32 to 38F). In that same period, close to 108cm of snow has fallen at Trudeau Airport, with even more in other locations around the city. Combine that with the lack of a prolonged thaw, and we have a very deep snowpack around southern Quebec, officially 42cm at Trudeau, but much deeper in many other locations. Let's all hope for a slow, prolonged thaw to avoid any flooding this spring. 

While the weather will be milder, we are still looking at some snowfall over the upcoming week. A series of rather weak clipper type systems is expected to move along the international border from southern Alberta into Atlantic Canada. These moisture starved systems tend to deliver at best 5 to 10cm of snow along their tracks. One such system on Monday brought 3 to 5cm of snow to southern Quebec. Another is expected Wednesday afternoon with a third by the weekend. Light snow is expected late Wednesday, with perhaps a few centimetres accumulation in Montreal, with more north of the city. Temperatures will be above the normal high/low of -2C/-11C over the next week, with the exception of a 24 hour shot of cold air behind Wednesday's clipper. That cold air will result in a daytime high of only -5C (23F) on Thursday along with brisk northwest winds, it will however be sunny. The good news is the temperature should be back above normal on Friday and remain that way into next week. 

Snowy week ahead for Montreal

A stormy weather pattern will prevail across eastern Canada over the next week. Expect two major systems to impact Montreal. The first arrives late Monday, with 10 to 20cm of snow forecast for the region.

Two major storm systems are set to impact Montreal and southern Quebec over the next week. This is all part of the series of winter storms that have been moving around the periphery of a cold dome of arctic air that has descended upon the central portion of the continent. The cold has sent sub-freezing temperatures all the way to the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Coast. The fist storm is spreading snow and freezing rain from southern Texas all the way into New England. The second storm is currently delivering heavy snow to the Pacific northwest including southern coastal British Columbia. Victoria reported 14cm of snow on Saturday, while 9cm fell in Vancouver. It is still snowing Sunday morning. Just about very US state has some sort of weather warning, while the Canadian Prairies remain locked into an icy -25C to -40C cold snap for the eighth consecutive day.

Two storms this week for Montreal

We can expect a sunny Sunday, with temperatures rather comfortable, up to -7C (19F). On Monday, look for increasing clouds, followed by snow. The snow will become heavier during the evening hours with 10 to 20cm expected by the time the precipitation ends on Tuesday. The heaviest amounts will fall along the US border, with less than 10cm expected north and west of Montreal. Temperatures will be rather mild during the storm, around -3C (27F) on Tuesday. They will however turn colder again on Wednesday. A second storm is expected to arrive by late Thursday. This winter storm is expected to travel closer to Montreal, with perhaps a mix of freezing rain and snow. Many details still need to be sorted out on type and quantity of precipitation, but I am quite confident that we will be impacted one way or another. Expect several days of snow covered roads and reduced visibility over the next 5 to 7 days.

If you have to drive anywhere during the week ahead, please pay close attention to the lasted forecast details, as well as any weather warnings that may be issued.

Frigid February weather from coast to coast in Canada

A record-breaking cold snap has nearly half of Canada shivering in minus 20 and 30 degree temperatures. The cold will return to Montreal Thursday night and into the upcoming weekend, with lows down to -21C (-6F) in the city and daytime highs in the minus teens.

A significant record-breaking cold snap is underway across most of western Canada. Temperatures have dropped into the minus 20s and 30s for highs and down as cold at the minus 40s for lows over the past week. The arctic air has been in place since last weekend and is now starting to spread east into parts of Ontario and Quebec.

A very stormy and cold weather pattern will persist, with frigid cold for many and a line of snow and freezing rain persisting around the periphery of the cold dome of air. Taking a look at just how cold it has been, Key Lake, Saskatchewan recorded a low temperature of -47.6C (-53.7F) on Wednesday morning, just one of 16 record lows in that province. For reference, the coldest low on record for Montreal, was -37.8C (-36F) set in January1957. In Alberta over 53 record lows have been established since last weekend, with 11 in B.C. and 3 in the Yukon. The cold in many cases has been accompanied by gusty winds and windchill values as low as the -50s. Even coastal B.C. is below freezing, with a major snowstorm expected this weekend for Vancouver and Victoria. Quebec even got in on the cold Wednesday, with windchill readings of -41C at Matagami and -36C at Val d'Or. Widespread extreme cold warnings cover nearly half of Canada.

A major accident on Interstate 35 near Fort Worth,Texas on Thursday, claimed the lives of 5 motorists. The region has been affected by the same frigid air mass affecting most of western and central Canada. (Fort Worth Fire Department Photo via Twitter)

The frigid air has spilled into the US as well, with ice and snow as far south as Texas and freezing temperatures towards the Gulf Coast. The harsh winter weather has produced extremely dangerous driving conditions in many locations. On Thursday morning a multi-vehicle accident involving over 75 trucks and cars resulted in serious injuries and the deaths of at least 5 motorists. More snow and ice is forecast to spread into the Ohio Valley and along the east coast this weekend.

Cold & snowy Montreal

We have a very active weather pattern ahead in Montreal as well. It begins Thursday evening, with bitterly cold temperatures, the low dropping to -21C, with windchill values close to -30C. Friday will be sunny, but cold, remaining in the minus teens. A weak weather system will bring up to 5cm of snow Saturday night tapering to flurries on Sunday. A much stronger storm system is possible early next week, with yet a third storm by Friday. The last system is too far off in the distance for precise details, but expect the weather to be quite challenging over the next two weeks.

Parade of weak storm systems along with seasonably cold air for Montreal

A burst of heavy snow moved across southern Quebec including metro Montreal on Friday morning. The weak weather system put down a quick 5-7cm of snow across the region. Roads became snow covered quickly along with reduced visibility. The result was numerous accidents on Quebec highways. Be prepared for similar weather this week, with three storm systems set to bring snow on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. (Valley Weather Photo)

Regardless of what the groundhog had to say last week, winter is here to stay in southern Quebec for awhile. While Montreal will escape the worst of the current cold snap and the heaviest now over the next week, the weather will still feel like mid-winter. 

Arctic air is pouring into the central part of Canada Sunday, and surging across the Great Lakes into the northern US. Widespread extreme cold and wind chill warnings are posted from the Rockies into Ontario and south into the bordering US states. Temperatures this morning were close to -40C on the central Prairies, even colder when you factor in the wind.  That frigid cold will remain across western Canada for most of the upcoming week. Meanwhile the main storm track lies along and just to the south of the leading edge of the arctic airmass. Several low pressure systems will travel along that boundary, and produce snow across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec, along with heavy lake effect snow squalls south and east of Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron. 

In Montreal, we are looking at a fairly mild Sunday, with a chance of 2 to 5cm of light snow this afternoon, ending by midnight. While accumulations will be light, we saw last week that it does not take much snow to create havoc on area roads. A quick hitting 5cm of snow Friday produced numerous major accidents including a 40 vehicle pile-up on Highway 40 east of Repentigny.

Skies will clear out partially on Monday, along with much colder temperatures. On Tuesday, another weak storm system will deliver 5-7cm of snow to the region, followed by more modified arctic air. High temperatures this week will be seasonably chilly with highs of -6 to -8C and lows of -12 to -15C. By the end of the week, a stronger storm may deliver more snow, perhaps in excess of 10cm, followed by much colder air, More details to follow.

Powerful Nor'Easter to impact Montreal

Heavy snow has accumulated nearly 75cm in parts of New Jersey on Monday. The powerful nor'easter will begin to affect southern Quebec early Tuesday. (WCBS) 

Winter Storm Warning: Vaudreuil-Dorion, South Shore, Eastern Townships and Quebec City

Special Weather Statement for Montreal.

 A strong Nor'Easter currently located south of New York City, is forecast to lift slowly towards the north tonight and into eastern Maine on Tuesday. The storm has been responsible for heavy snow across New York and New Jersey today, with as much as 75cm in New Jersey, and 40cm at Central Park. Strong winds up to 70km/h have produced near blizzard conditions in several locations.

The snow is now spreading into southern Vermont moving north towards the Canadian border by dawn on Tuesday. Montreal will remain on the northwest edge of the heaviest snow, with 10-15cm expected through Wednesday morning. However, just south of the city along the south shore, Vaudreuil-Dorion and towards the US border, a winter storm warning has been issued for 15-25cm. 

Strong northeast winds are expected as well, gusting between 50-70km/h. Wind gusts may reach 100km/h in the Quebec City region. The winds will produce blowing snow, especially off-island. The heaviest snow is expected south and east of Montreal, with amounts tapering off quickly as you head towards the Ottawa Valley. Expect very poor travel conditions on Tuesday through the evening hours and into Wednesday morning.