Spring snow on the way for Southern Quebec

Workers defy gravity as they begin to break up the winter snow piled several storeys high at the St Laurent dump on Thimens Boulevard. Colder weather this week and even the potential for some snow by Wednesday, should temporarily slow the melting process. (ValleyWeather Photo)

If you are one of the few who had hoped to see snowflakes fly just one more time in Montreal, then you are in luck. Otherwise, turn away now from this forecast. After what has been a fairly warm month, we are looking at the potential for accumulating snow this Wednesday.

The coastal system that impacted southern Quebec and new England on Friday, produced quite a bit of wet snow across the Townships and interior New England, however precipitation remained as rain for Montreal, with 25-35mm falling across the city. Colder air settled into southern Quebec for the weekend, under partly cloudy skies.

The storm in question is expected to develop south of the Great Lakes and move just south of Montreal on Wednesday. Colder air filtering into the region will change the rain to snow late Wednesday. (AccuWeather.com)

We are in for a mild start to the week, reaching 17C (63F) in Montreal on Monday, before a frontal system arrives late in the day. A few showers are possible this evening along with a rumble or two of thunder. Cooler, windy weather is forecast for Tuesday, with highs near 10C (50F) and winds up to 50km/h. The weather will turn quite active on Wednesday, as low pressure approaches from the Ohio Valley. The storm is expected to move across the southern Great Lakes and into northern New England on Thursday. A narrow swath of wet snow is forecast to fall along and just north of the storms track impacting southern Ontario and Quebec. At this time, rain is expected Wednesday in Montreal, changing to wet snow during the evening hours and ending early Thursday. Amounts are very difficult to predict at this time of year, and will depend heavily on when the changeover occurs as well as local elevation. There is a chance of 5 to 10cm of slushy wet snow along and just north of the St. Lawrence River.

While we have not had much in the way of snow since late February, it is not that unusual for Montreal to have snow in April. As a mater of fact the reverse is actually true, it has been rather rare in 2021 to not have any snowfall during March and April. A quick look at the statistics form Trudeau Airport shows that you have to go back to 2005 to find a year with no snow in Montreal in April.

Temperatures will be cold on Wednesday and Thursday, expect highs around 3C (37F) and low temperatures at or just below the freezing point. With the very mild weather we have experienced over the last two weeks, many trees and shrubs have started to bud or flower. The wet snow, frost and cold will not be good for any flowering plants. The good news is that temperatures will warm again quickly into next weekend, with highs back into the middle teens.