Two winter storms bypass Montreal region

While rain fell in the Montreal region, wet snow fell in many other parts of southern Quebec including the Richelieu Valley shown above. Further east across the Beauce and Quebec City regions, the snow was heavy, with up to 30cm reported. The snow cut power to over 125,000 Hydro-Quebec customers. (Photo T. Giotsalitis)

Southwestern Quebec continues to be bypassed by the early season snow that has affected many parts of Quebec and Ontario. On Sunday evening, low pressure moved across southeastern New England generating heavy wet snow across interior portions of the northeastern US, as well as southern and eastern Quebec. Between 15-30cm of wet snow fell east of the Richelieu Valley, across the Eastern Townships, Beauce, Chaudière-Appalaches and the Quebec City region. 

The heavy wet snow stuck to trees and power lines cutting power to over 125,000 Hydro-Quebec customers, with thousands more in the dark across Vermont and northern New Hampshire. Hydro-Quebec had 150 teams on the job Monday, and the number of clients without power is down to just over 3000 Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile it was the same old story in Montreal, just mild enough for rain, with a few snowflakes mixed in. Around 10mm of rain fell in Montreal. This trend that has been present for most of the fall, is expected to continue into the upcoming weekend. Temperatures have chilled Tuesday morning in Montreal. We are in for 24-36 hours of chilly, blustery conditions, with westerly winds of 30-50km/h, and temperatures remaining below freezing. Windchill values will be in the minus teens. There will also be the chance of a few snow showers at times in Montreal, but with very little accumulations expected in the city. The cold air will not last, with another system passing to our north and west Thursday, with mild temperatures and showers.

Colder air will try to move into Southern Quebec next week, with perhaps some snow, but milder air may win out again.

Lake Effect Snow

Back to the current system, as the cold air pours across the wide open Great Lakes, heavy lake effect snow has been falling off Lake Huron into Ontario, and Lakes Erie and Ontario into western New York. Travel was nearly impossible in several locations, with between 20-40cm of fresh falling in under 24 hours. The intense snow bands were accompanied by lightning and thunder at times, with snowfall rates of over 5cm per hour observed. The lake effect snow will persist today, off Georgian Bay into Ontario as well as across western New York, along the Interstate 81 and 90 corridors. 

The snow bands were so intense at times, driven by strong westerly winds, that they reached into the Ottawa Valley and National Capital region overnight.