Snowstorm likely for southern Quebec on Saturday

The biggest snowstorm of the season may impact Montreal on Saturday with heavy snow and strong winds. (ValleyWeather Photo)

Winter storm expected to impact Montreal late Friday into Saturday.

A hint of spring is in the air as I write this blog, with warm March sunshine pushing the temperature to 4C (39F) in Montreal. But March can be a cruel weather month, and winter is not over just yet. Confidence is growing that a strong winter storm will impact southern Quebec this coming weekend. If the forecast holds true, it could be the biggest storm of the winter for the city.

Low pressure is forecast to develop over southern Texas on Friday, tapping into warm, moist Gulf of Mexico air while moving northeast. At the same time, cold, arctic air is forecast to push south across the Great Lakes. The combination of those key ingredients will allow the storm to intensify rapidly as it moves northward along the eastern seaboard and into Atlantic Canada by Sunday.

Strong low pressure is forecast develop Saturday along the east coast and move towards Atlantic Canada. Heavy snow is expected to fall across southern Quebec along with strong winds. (AccuWeather.com)

Montreal will remain on the cold side of the storm, with snow developing late Friday and persisting into Saturday. The snow will be heavy at times, with amounts well in excess of 15cm possible for Montreal. Some models have 20 to 30cm falling across southern Quebec. Accompanying the snow will be strong winds, with gusts over 70km/h possible. This will create widespread blowing and drifting snow.

There are still many details to iron out such as the timing and exact track of the storm, but at this time, plan for very poor travel for at least 36 hours across the region. Skies will clear Sunday, but it will be windy and cold. Milder, calm weather returns to start next week.