A return to colder weather for Montreal

With spring a little over a week away, area waterways are becoming increasingly dangerous. The warm weather this week has allowed the ice to slowly begin the break-up process and become unstable in places. The water is icy cold and  flowing fast. Be vigilant along the shore and stay off the ice.

Our preview to spring is just about over in eastern Canada. The high in Montreal on Wednesday was 9C (49F), just shy of the record high for the date. We have a much better chance of reaching the record today, 11.2C (52F) set back in 2012. The forecast is for a high of 10C (50F), however there is a good chance we will surpass that. As I write, St Anicet, 70 kilometres southwest of Montreal is already at 14C (58F), while Ile Perrot is 7C (45F), so the warm air is close by. Partly cloudy skies are forecast, with just the chance of an isolated sprinkle or shower.

A strong cold front will usher in arctic air and gusty northwest winds Friday. The cold weather will persist this weekend before temperatures rebound next week. (AccuWeather)

Both Toronto and Ottawa are very mild as well, with record warmth expected in both cities today. Ottawa should reach 14C, easily surpassing the record of 10.5C set in 1977, while Toronto is already 15C, expected to reach 19C (66F) today, surpassing their record high of 17.7C set in 2012. The warm air has also broke numerous records across New England, the Ohio Valley and Northeastern US.

As with every spring season since the dawn of time, the warmth won't last. A rather strong cold front will cross the region Friday afternoon, ushering in an arctic airmass. The high on Friday will be reached just after midnight, with temperatures dropping through the day and into the evening hours. The low by Saturday morning will be near -10C (14F). Accompanying the cold front will be scattered showers, changing to flurries, but precipitation should be light. Gusty winds are also expected on Friday and Saturday, in the 30-60km/h range. The wind will make it feel very cold, especially after our current temperatures.

The mild weather this week has very slowly started melting away the deep snow and ice in Montreal. Keep this in mind if you are near any body of water. The ice is already becoming unstable and dangerous.

Milder weather is expected by the middle of next week, but we are also watching a potential storm by the end of the week. Stay tuned, I believe winter is not done just yet.