50/50 Weekend

This morning it truly feels like fall. For the first time this September, there is a chill in the air. A front drifted south of the region overnight, and north winds have taken over. It will remain chilly today with high temperatures no better than to 16C. Tonight will be clear and cold with a good chance of frost in most areas away from the city. Frost and freeze warnings are in place across portions of New England already. Temperatures will nudge very close to the freezing point. Saturday will be an ideal September day for any outdoor activity, sunny and a high of 19C. Low pressure will approach our region from the Midwest US on Sunday. Skies will be cloudy with rain expected. Next week will become very unsettled with much cooler weather and the chance of showers and some storms and windy. A fall pattern is developing as we head for October.


Today CJAD Meteorologist Ed Cowell is retiring after 34 years on Montreal radio. He spent 20 of those at CJAD, and has been a meteorologist for over 45 years. I had the privilege of meeting him back in 1991 when he gave me a tour o the weather office at Dorval Airport here in Montreal. Ed is a true gentleman and very professional meteorologist. Thanks Ed for all the weather information over the years and enjoy your retirement.
Above right: Ed Cowell - Montreal Gazette photo.

Warm start to fall

The pumpkins are ready! A sign of the seasons at this IGA store on the West Island.

It is already 20C (humidex 26C) this morning in Montreal on the way to 23C. That is well above the normal daytime high of 18C and it is only 8am. Fall arrived yesterday at 5:18pm and there are some signs that the seasons are changing. The leaves are slowly turning, some areas have had frost, and the likelihood of a hard frost or even a freeze exists into next week as much colder air is forecast to invade the region by Tuesday.

Yesterday's showers dropped about 10.4mm on Montreal as tropical air and moisture was in place. That brings our monthly total to 14.6mm, or less than half of the normal precipitation. We should get some more decent showers today as a cold front is just north of the Ottawa Valley this morning. Radar is showing some heavy showers and embedded thunder moving south towards the St. Lawrence River.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo striking the South Carolina coast and racing north down the St. Lawrence Valley and through Montreal. Heavy rain fell north of the city, while south of the system in Montreal high winds and very warm and muggy air was in place. We reached 29C and only dropped to the low twenties overnight. Winds gusted to 70km/h in the valley knocking down trees and cutting power. I was working for the Gazette at the time driving at night. It was interesting night working, seeing first hand some of the power of this fast moving storm. Hugo maintained tropical storm status well inland. I have never seen clouds moving so fast before or since Hugo. The storm caused billions in damage and killed 49 people along its path.

Happy Fall

I am still crunching the numbers, but we may have just, at this very minute, finished the most dismal summer in decades. Fall has arrived here on the east coast as of 5:19pm. Appropriately summer ended with showery weather, however it continues quite mild and very humid today as well. Warm and moist tropical air is streaming north from the Gulf states and will continue through mid week with some more showers Wednesday, and maybe even a rumble of thunder. It will continue warm with a high of 25C. Happy Autumn everyone!

Pleasent week

Warm south winds greeted travelers at this truck stop in Cornwall, Ontario yesterday afternoon. SB Photo

The spectacular late summer weather will continue in our area into this week. September has been a remarkable month across most of Canada but especially in southern Quebec and eastern Ontario. Very little rainfall has combined with above normal temperatures and record sunshine to make us forget about our terrible summer. This week the region will have above normal temperatures, near 25C for the next three days before a cooling trend with rain into next weekend. This past weekend featured cool temperatures and frost, but brilliant sunshine, the third weekend this month with near perfect weather.

While the weather has been great here, it has not been so good across the US southeast. Many areas have had 6 to 8 consecutive days of rain with over 10 inches of rain falling in some areas. Flooding is widespread across metro Atlanta and many other parts of the deep south. Low pressure over the southern Appalachians is drawing tropical moisture northward from the Gulf of Mexico. The system will continue to slowly move east over the next few days. Meanwhile the remains of Hurricane Fred are located about 250 miles east of Cape Hatteras. While no redevelopment is expected at this time, it is still expected to produce some rough surf, in conjunction with our strong high pressure, as well as scattered showers and thunderstorms moving inland over Carolina's during the next day or so.

Weekend Weather

Radar is showing a gusty cold front moving across the St. Lawrence Valley this morning. The front is producing the first appreciable rain of the month in Montreal, (only 0.4mm to date at Dorval) right at the morning rush. The heavy showers will move southeast of the region, followed by a second line later this morning. Skies should clear by noon with a windy and chilly afternoon and evening. The weekend will be sunny, dry and seasonable with temperatures near 18C. Overnight lows will be cold enough for frost north and south of Montreal and in rural areas of central and eastern Ontario. Monday will be very warm for September, a high of 26C for the last full day of summer 2009. Summer had a nice recovery thanks to September.

Speaking of heat, Saskatchewan was baking yesterday. Numerous record highs were smashed including 37C (100F) in Rosetown. That was after an overnight low of 11C or a whopping 49 degree Fahrenheit difference. What a temperature range for a 12 hour period. The previous record was 31.5C set in 1981. Other records included Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Leader. Temperatures in Gravelbourg and Assiniboia were around 33C. More heat is expected this weekend before a slight cooling trend next week.

Warm west - cool east

Spectacular late summer weather is occurring across western Canada, with dozens of record highs tied or broken yesterday including 32C in Edmonton and 34C at Brooks. It will be a little cooler in Alberta today, but hot in Saskatchewan and the northern plains. Temperatures in those areas will rise above 30C again and well into the 30's over the weekend before cooling off next week.

Ontario and Quebec will feel a little more fall like on the last weekend of the summer. Temperatures will be near or slightly above 20C with sunshine. The only rain will be some brief showers Friday morning along a cold front. It will be breezy behind the front with cool overnight lows and frost, especially off island to the north and in rural areas of eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. Last night the temperature dipped to -1C at Mt Tremblant and 5C at St. Hubert, 7C at Dorval and 5C as well in Kemptville, ON.. A sure sign of things to come.

More sunshine

Yesterday's cold front barely wet the rain gauge in most of southern Quebec. There were some isolated areas that had some pretty good downpours last evening, but they were very short in nature. One shower went across the south shore at around 7:15pm last night, and it was the first rain of the month with some lightning as well. The front passed rapidly south of the valley followed by clearing. Only 0.4 mm fell at Dorval and that is the monthly total to September 15. A little more rain fell across eastern Ontario with 6.7 mm at Kemptville, and 9.6 mm at Ottawa. Today will be a little cooler with mostly sunny skies and a few afternoon cloudy periods. It will remain dry through Friday.

Some much needed mositure today

The shadows are getting longer as September moves along. This is the sun setting in Lancaster, ON. last week.

The lawns are beginning to turn brown, and I noticed a rapid acceleration in the turning of the leaves in the last week or so. Normally the fall foliage begins to appear as a result of the decrease in daylight as we move from August into September. The changing of the leaves can be enhanced by frost or in this case no precipitation at all. Today will mark day 15 of no rain in the Montreal area. That is expected to change on this Monday, as clouds are on the increase from the west and a few showers and maybe a rumble of thunder can be expected by noon. The catalyst for the showers is a cold front slipping southward from central Quebec. The front will also return temperatures back to below normal for a good portion of this work week (17C Tuesday). After the showers today, there will be another shot of showers Tuesday afternoon, before a sunny, cool and "fall like" balance of the week.

The weekend was splendid with warm temperatures and sunshine. There were a few more clouds in the region Sunday, but it was still pleasant for late summer. The entire country has enjoyed decent weather of late with the exception of southern Manitoba where heavy rain late last week caused some flooding. Some areas had between 100-200mm of rain. In Alberta and Saskatchewan late summer record warmth occurred with nearly a dozen temperature records broken including 27C at Edmonton yesterday.

Another glorious weeekend

Please take time to remember today.

Strong high pressure is blocking the weather over most of the northern half of the Continent. If you have good weather, like we do, you get to keep it. Sadly if you have poor weather, like the Midwest and mid-Atlantic, you get to keep that as well. This blocking ridge of high pressure will remain in place well into next week. Today is our 12th day in a row with no precipitation and abundant sunshine in Montreal, including the entire month of September to date. I am attempting to find out some information on total sunshine hours for Montreal for September, and just how close we are to establishing a record here. The best I could find this morning, is that on average, Montreal records 174.6 hours of sunshine for the entire month. That works out to about 46.3% of the total daylight hours. Considering that we are somewhere between 90 to 95% sunshine so far, I would say a record is in there somewhere. The next chance for any precipitation will not come before next Thursday. It will remain very warm as well, 24C tomorrow and 27C on Sunday. Enjoy!

What a September

What can you say about a month that is now 10/10. September 10 just happens to be the 10th consecutive dry and sunny day in Montreal. The precipitation at the airport for the month, 0 mm. This trend has been provided to us by very strong high pressure anchored over Quebec. The days have been sunny and warm and the much longer September nights starlit and cool. All the nasty weather is being kept well to our south across the middle Atlantic region and Ohio Valley. There is some indication that a warm front will lift north of the St. Lawrence Valley on the weekend with scattered showers on Saturday. That may end our consecutive streak, but not the nice weather. Next week looks sunny and warm again, all week. It will start on Sunday, with a sunny 27C day. That is better than 90% of the weekends were this past summer. Imagine that!

Labour Day

Sailing on Lake Champlain while the fall colors begin to show near Rouses Point, N.Y. today. (The photo is taken from the New York side of the lake, with Grand Isle, Vermont as the background)

It was truly a spectacular long weekend to close out the summer of 2009. Today marks the 7th consecutive day of sunshine and seasonable temperatures. It will continue into the start of this work week with showers expected by the middle portion of the week. The nice weather was limited to eastern Ontario and most of Quebec. The further southwest you went the nastier the weather became. Low pressure across the Ohio Valley and a "tropical like" system on the Carolina coast are combining to produce copious amounts of rain from the Midwest across the the middle Atlantic region. Portions of the Carolina coast including the Outer Banks have reported between 3-5 inches of rain today. Some areas along the Crystal coast near Wilmington, NC, have had as much as 8 inches of rain with flood warnings in effect. The system, will slowly move northeast along the coast tonight and exit the region.

The best weather of summer

Strong high pressure over the northeastern US will guarantee the best stretch of weather this summer in eastern Ontario and southwest Quebec. It has been sunny since Monday and will continue that way well into next week, including the entire holiday weekend. Temperatures will be above normal, around 25C for highs and down to 12 to 14C for lows. The only blip on the radar is a weak backdoor cold front late Saturday that may produce a sprinkle, a cloud and a wind shift, otherwise, brilliant sunshine abounds. There may also be some patchy fog overnight towards morning. The nights are getting longer and the dew is forming. The quick drop in overnight temperatures after a warm day aides in the development of fog, especially in river valleys.

Monday morning again

Some of the action from the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series yesterday before the rain.

Hard to believe it is August 31. I won't go into a rant about how terrible a summer it was, but, really on all levels for me, it may have been the worst. It ended yesterday with rain on the NAPA 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. For the second year in a row the race began under sunny skies and ended in the rain. There were a record number of cautions in the exciting (but wet) 74 lap affair, that actually went 76 laps, and driver Carl Edwards passed Marcos Ambrose on the final curve to record the victory. I sat at turn 10, until the rain came that is. I would have really preferred a dry race.

Over the weekend the remains of tropical storm Danny were absorbed into low pressure over Atlantic Canada. The storm produced copious amounts of rainfall, in many cases more than Hurricane Bill last weekend. Sydney had 104mm, Saint John, NB, 108mm and Summerside, PEI, 106mm. Halifax recorded a peak wind gust of 91km/h while Wreckhouse, NFLD had 152km/h winds. Nearly 17,000 were left without power in Nova Scotia alone, and flooding was widespread across that province and into New Brunswick.

This back to school week in the region will feature strong high pressure, maybe the strongest of the summer, go fiugure! Sunny skies all week with cool overnights and warm days. High temperatures will range from 20 to 25C. Time to wash the car.

Lets be safe out there as our children return to school. Slow Down!

Weekend Forecast

A couple of low pressure systems to our west combined with moisture from Tropical Storm Danny moving up the eastern coast will provide the area with abundant moisture over the weekend. Showers and gusty winds will develop overnight tonight and persist into Sunday in Montreal and eastern Ontario.

Meanwhile Danny remains disorganized and may not reach hurricane strength. The storm is expected to move just off the North Carolina coast and northeastwards towards Nova Scotia. The only warnings in place at this time is a Tropical Storm Watch for The Outer Banks from Cape Hatteras to Duck.

Danny update and FROST!

In what has seemed like the shortest and coolest summer ever, frost is in the forecast. Arctic high pressure will crest over the region tonight and the likelihood of scattered frost away from the metro areas and waterways is very possible. Frost Advisories are in effect for central Quebec and the Adirondacks of central New York. Last night Montreal dropped to 9C while Kemptville reached 6C. The cool air will move east on Friday as a warm front moves into the region.

The weekend forecast is up in the air at the moment. A trough of low pressure will slide east from the Great Lakes, and give the region a chance of showers both Saturday and Sunday. The showers could turn into a full blown rainstorm if Tropical Storm Danny comes close to the US coast. However, at this time, each computer run is pushing the storm track further to the east. There is still great uncertainty in the forecast strength and track. We will have to keep an eye on the storm. The greatest risk for a direct impact is from Cape Hatteras north to Newfoundland, with the fringe affects being felt across interior New England and southern and eastern Quebec, New Brunswick and PEI. Stay tuned!

Danny

Tropical storm Danny has developed 775 miles south southwest of Cape Hatteras. The storm has 45 mph winds with a slow increase in intensity forecast. Danny could become a hurricane and threaten the east coast from New Jersey to Atlantic Canada by the weekend. This could become a very interesting weather story. More later today.

Tropical Storm Danny?

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."

Senator Edward M. Kennedy

We may have a tropical system developing in the Atlantic today just east of the Bahamas. The storm is forecast to become Danny later today and may threaten the eastern seaboard with heavy rain and wind this weekend. It will bear watching and may influence our weather. That is not good news with the NASCAR race set for this weekend.

I am sorry for not mentioning that incredible severe weather outbreak in Ontario last Thursday. A total of 8 tornadoes and funnel clouds were recorded including an unprecedented three F-2 storms. The storms caused severe damage in many locations including Vaughan and Newmarket north or the GTA. One fatality occurred and several injuries. Numerous homes were destroyed.

Here is the official wrap up by Environment Canada...

Shortly after noon a supercell storm developed just south of Lake
Huron. This cell tracked northeastward for a remarkable 200 km
producing the Durham and Thornbury tornadoes. The storm cell
Finally weakened over Georgian Bay toward evening.

At the same time a squall line developed over lower Michigan then
tracked across Southern Ontario during the afternoon and evening
hours. This feature produced straight line wind damage to several
locales from Windsor to well northeast of Toronto as well as the
destructive Vaughan and Newmarket tornadoes.

Finally in the early evening isolated supercell storms tracked
To the east of Georgian Bay. One tracked northeastward to produce a
probable tornado over the area between Arnstein and North Bay as
well as a waterspout over lake Nipissing.

Another tornado tracked through the Gravenhurst area before lifting.
This storm or one near spawned a tornado that went through the
Redstone Lake and Kennisis Lake district. This brings the total thus
far for the August 20 storms to 8 confirmed tornadoes, 1 probable
tornado and 2 possible tornadoes.

There was one fatality with the tornado in the south end of Durham.
Several of the tornadoes were rated as f2 damage on the Fujita
Scale. F2 damage is equivalent to wind strength of 180 to 250 km/h.

The following is a list of tornadoes and associated damage assessed
by a total of five separate Environment Canada storm damage teams.

Cooler weather ahead

We have had a pleasant stretch of weather here in eastern Ontario and western Quebec. The sunshine has been accompanied by some showers scattered about but it has been warm and humid. Temperatures have been in the upper twenties. That is about to change as a cooler air mass from western Canada settles into the region later this week. The cooler air should arrive with a few showers on Wednesday followed by sunny and cooler weather for the balance of the work week. It will struggle to reach 20C with a very fall like feeling in the air. I noticed this morning that the dew is a little heavier owing to the longer nights, and also a few leaves are turning and even falling!

The NASCAR Napa 200 race is in Montreal this Sunday. Early indications are that it may rain. I have my fingers crossed it won't, I did not enjoy the rain last year too much, although it did make history as they used rain tires for the first time in a NASCAR points race.

A quick post storm report on Hurricane Bill. The rapid speed of Bill meant he kept his tropical characteristics right into Newfoundland. It also meant that the storms effects were lessened due to his speed. The rainfall and flooding was thus limited. Accumulations ranged from 30-70mm. It fell quickly - in just a few hours but the amounts were less than expected. Winds and waves were very fierce with a peak gust to 132km/h at Cape Race, Newfoundland. There were numerous reports of coastal flooding from the 10 metre plus storm surge and waves. Bill finally made landfall at Point Rosie, Newfoundland on the Burin Peninsula at around midnight Monday, August 24.

Hurricane Bill off to Newfoundland

Many coastal roads in Nova Scotia were closed today from high surf caused by Hurricane Bill.

Bill is now racing northeast at over 60km/h and is expected to cross the Avalon Peninsula near midnight. The storm swept east of Nova Scotia today passing just 75km offshore. Winds and waves were fierce with waves of over 14 metres recorded and winds close to 90km/h in Halifax and points south as of 8pm. Heavy rain fell as well with nearly 70mm in just a few hours. Many areas reported flooding and some roads were washed out. The storm moved very quickly across the area and spared the region from major flooding. Some trees were down in Halifax, and Nova Scotia Power reported over 40,000 homes without electricity at the height of the storm. A Storm Surge and Tropical Storm Warning are in effect for southeastern coastal Newfoundland. Heavy rain warnings are posted for most of that province. Warnings will slowly be allowed to expire in Nova Scotia tonight. By midday Monday Bill should begin a transformation to extratropical status as he move northeast away from Newfoundland. No injuries were reported in Atlantic Canada, but the US Coast Guard in Maine are looking for three people swept out to sea by the large and dangerous waves. The Canadian Coast Guard is advising people to stay away from beaches tonight.

Bill update from CHC

Here is the latest information from the Canadian Hurricane Centre...

Hurricane Bill intermediate information statement issued by the Canadian Hurricane Centre of environment Canada at 12.00 Noon ADT Sunday 23 august 2009.

Hurricane Bill was located near latitude 43.3 N and longitude 64.0 W. About 90 nautical miles or 150 km south southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bill is moving towards the northeast at 29 knots... 54 Km/h. Maximum sustained winds are estimated at 75 knots... 140 Km/h and central pressure at 965 mb. The satellite presentation of Bill is still very tropical with a large area of convection offshore of Nova Scotia displaced to the east of the low level centre which is about 100 kilometres south of Lunenburg County. The outer rainbands have moved across Nova Scotia and into Prince Edward Island and southern and central New Brunswick. The centre of hurricane Bill passed by just to south of the Georges Bank buoy between 08 utc and 09 utc. The lowest atmospheric pressure reported by the buoy was 965 mbs with a peak 5-metre wind at 52 knots. The maximum significant wave height reported by the buoy was 10.7 Metres but the wave recording equipment stopped reporting for two hours at the height of the hurricane force winds. By 12 utc the Lahave bank buoy was reporting winds near hurricane force with a peak wind at 73 knots and significant wave heights were 13.4 Metres with a maximum wave height at 26.4 Metres. The centre of bill is expected very near this buoy shortly. Much of mainland Nova Scotia is being battered by rainbands reaching out from hurricane Bill. These rainbands are even moving into southern New Brunswick reaching north of Fredericton and Moncton. Rainfall rates of 15 to 20 millimetres per hour have been reported in these rain bands making driving conditions hazardous with reduced visibilities and standing water on roadways. This heavy rainfall has the potential to cause street and road flooding. Undermine some road surfaces.. Washouts and flooded basements. Total rainfall amounts in southern Nova Scotia are up to 60 millimetres up to the noon hour. Southern New Brunswick has reported 20 to 40 millimetres. These rain bands are now moving into Prince Edward Island eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. The rain bands will begin affecting Newfoundland later today. Sustained tropical storm force winds have reached the coast of Nova Scotia as well. Baccaro point has reported sustained winds of 36 knots (67 km/h) and a maximum wind at 46 knots (85 km/h). Yarmouth airport had a peak gust at 38 knots (70 km/h). Lunenburg has reported maximum winds at 43 knots (80 km/h).Winds in the Halifax regional municipality have reached 39 knots(72 km/h). There are media reports of trees down in the HRM area. There are numerous reported power outages across the entire south shore of Nova Scotia. The winds will continue to increase this afternoon in the Maritimes as bill nears the coastline. The wind will reach Newfoundland tonight. Large waves are beginning to reach the coastline of Nova Scotia at noon. The buoy outside Halifax harbour has reported a maximum wave height of 6.9 Metres this morning and this is forecast to reach 5 to 10 metres along the entire coastline this afternoon. There are reports that the roadway in eastern passage is underwater. RCMP reports large swells are reaching the Peggys Cove area. Roadways near the coast are being closed in several areas. A combination of these large waves with the forecast storm surge of 0.5 to 1.0 metres may lead to shoreline erosion and damage to wharves and coastal structures as well as generating dangerous rip currents at local beaches.

Hurricane Bill

Hurricane Bill southeast of Nova Scotia.

We have a hurricane in Canadian waters this morning as Bill is moving northeast at 31 mph just offshore of southern Nova Scotia. Winds have been gusting to 100km/h on Sable Island and have increased over 60km/h in Yarmouth and Lunenburgh. Heavy rain bands have begun to move onshore and there is a serious threat of flooding from the nearly 150mm of rain expected in coastal areas. A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch remain in effect for the coastal areas of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Inland heavy rain warnings and high wind warnings are in place. Bill will rapidly move just due east off the coast today and on towards Newfoundland tonight. The strongest winds and heaviest rain are forecast in the next couple of hours. I noticed this morning that Yarmouth was at 22C with a dew point of 22C, a very tropical air mass and a humidex of 32C. This indicates that Bill is still carrying tropical characteristics and should only begin the transition into an extratropical system later today. A hurricane hunter reconnaissance aircraft flew into the storm this morning and recorded a central pressure of 965mb and winds of 85mph. Bill remains a very dangerous storm and will pound the coastal areas with high surge. A surge of 4 metres is expected in Nova Scotia with up to 5 metres in Cape Breton and a whopping 8m in southeast Newfoundland. There is great concern for damage to coastal infrastructure today.

Of note, Nova Scotia Power is on standby and is expecting numerous power outages. Also Halifax Regional Airport has been closed and all flights diverted or cancelled till further notice.

Here in Montreal, the western spiral bands have generated some cloud cover over the area and winds in the St. Lawrence Valley of Quebec are blowing out of the northeast from 25-50km/h and gusty in response to Bill.

More information on Hurricane Bill can be found HERE.

Bill heads for Nova Scotia

Thank you everyone for your kind words and thoughts during this time.
I appreciate them all very much.

A tropical storm warning has been posted for the Nova Scotia coastline while a tropical storm watch is in effect for Newfoundland, eastern PEI and extreme southern New Brunswick. A tropical storm warning is also in effect for the Cape Cod coast including Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. At 5pm the center of Bill was located about 585 miles southwest of Halifax and moving north at about 24mph. Bill is packing winds of 85 mph (140 km/h). The storm is expected to continue on this current track with a gradual turn towards the northeast. Bill should approach the Nova Scotia coast midday Sunday with very strong winds, gusting up to 140km/h and torrential rain with 100-150mm possible. Bill is not expected to make a direct hit like Hurricane Juan did, however the storm will come very close to the coast. All hurricanes are dangerous and preparations should be rushed to completion in the area. A storm surge of 2-4 metres is expected along the east coast of Nova Scotia and the southern coast of Newfoundland.

A heavy heart

I lost a good friend yesterday. Someone I admired and looked up to my entire life. My father was a tremendous man, always doing the right thing, solving problems with words not violence, and showing us his love in so many different ways. He worked hard his entire life and gave unconditionally to us. We never went without. Every Christmas, every holiday our house was filled with fun and gifts and food. He maintained our big home on the St. Lawrence River in Verdun tirelessly. He cared for his parents their entire lives. He is one of the driving factors behind my interest in weather. His quiet, proud way of moving through life has been passed on to me and my brother and sisters. Work hard, take responsibility and ownership, correct mistakes.
He died yesterday at the age of 80. I will miss him. Thank you dad for being you.

One more day

It continues hot this morning across the area. Montreal is already at 25C, actually we only dropped to 23C overnight with high humidity and very uncomfortable for anyone without A/C. Today will be another scorcher, close to 33C with humidex values over 40C again. A cold front will move into the region this afternoon with scattered showers and some thunderstorms. There is always the risk of severe weather with this kind of heat and humidity present. Any storms will develop after the lunch hour first across eastern Ontario and the Laurentians and later across the St. Lawrence Valley. It will be cooler but still pleasant for the balance of the week, with temperatures dropping to around 27C for a daytime high.

Hot!

Above & below: A shower squeezes the sunset tonight. It remains very hot and humid in Montreal.

It was sultry today. Temperatures reached the 32C mark in Ottawa, Montreal and Kemptville. It was nearly 34C in upstate New York. High humidity pushed humidex readings above 40C. The heat will continue on Tuesday with temperatures around 32C again. Thunderstorms will develop in the afternoon and begin slowly cooling the region. Tonight a few scattered thunderstorms pressed across the area, with a brief windy shower here on Montreal's South Shore, right around sunset.

A quick note on Hurricane Bill tonight. I was just looking at some recon data and computer models and it appears Bill may miss the US. It remains a definite threat for Bermuda and beyond that into next week, there is a threat to the Maratimes and Newfoundland. It is very early in the forecast and the storm is still well out in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Winds are at 90mph and an increase in strength is likely tonight. Meanwhile Claudette is dissipating over Alabama while Ana is doing the same near Cuba. There is a very slight chance that Ana could redevelop in the Gulf of Mexico, but at this point that scenario seems unlikely.

Warmest day since 2007

Claudette approaches Fort Walton Beach, Fla. yesterday. (CTV.ca)

Today should be the warmest day in Montreal and Kemptville since the summer of 2007. We reached 30C yesterday and have only dropped to 22C this morning for our low. It should hit 32C with humidex readings into the 40's. Here is the statement from Environment Canada...

Metro Montréal - Laval - South Shore - Valleyfield
5:11 AM EDT Monday 17 August 2009
High heat and humidity warning for Metro Montréal - Laval continued

A high humidex value of 40 to 43 is expected over these regions today. During this period, people suffering from chronic diseases (ex.: heart and respiratory diseases) could see their condition deteriorate. Moreover, exposure to these conditions could cause discomfort like muscle cramps, exhaustion and heatstroke. In order to better withstand the heat, the following actions are recommended: drink a lot of water, reduce physical activities, and
seek air conditioned or shady areas. If you worry for your health or want more information, dial 811 to call the infohealth service of your area.

Tropical Storm Claudette moved onshore near Fort Walton Beach Florida this morning with 50mph winds and about 4 inches of rain at Apalachicola and Pensacola. The storm will weaken inland today. Bill continues to strengthen out in the open waters of the Atlantic, and has become a hurricane with 75mph winds.

Heat & Humidity

Radar image of Tropical Storm Claudette nearing the Florida coast tonight with heavy rain and 50mph winds.

Tropical Update: What had been a quiet tropical season to date changed rapidly over the weekend with three named storms now present in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Tropical storm Bill is expected to become a hurricane as he spins north of the Caribbean islands. The storm is expected to become a major system as it moves northwest off the eastern coast of the US over the next couple of days. It is still too soon to tell if the storm will affect the US or Canada.

Meanwhile Tropical storm Claudette has formed very close to the Florida Panhandle. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect tonight as the storm moves towards the coast at 12 mph with 50mph winds. Tonight local radar is showing the storm spinning onto the coast west of Appalachicola, Florida. 3-5 foot ocean swells are expected in the panhandle along with up to 10 inches of rain in western Florida and southern Alabama. Also tropical storm Anna has weakened to a depression and is moving towards the Lesser Antilles. This storm still bears watching.

**In Montreal, we reached 30C again today, with very humid and hazy conditions. Environment Canada has issued a High Heat and Humidity Warning for southwestern Quebec, and Smog Advisories also remain posted for the Metro area and most of southern Ontario. It will reach 32C on Monday with high humidity and poor air quality. The heat should break on Tuesday with some showers.

Beautiful Weekend

For the first time since July 2008, we are expecting consecutive 30C days. At no point last summer or this year have we had a "heatwave" defined as 3 or more consecutive 30C days. We may have one through early next week. The forecast calls for sunny and warm weather right into Tuesday before the next threat of any rain.

The last time we went over 30C for two days was July 7 and 8, 2008 and prior to that June 7 and 8 the same year. Those days combined with the two days so far this summer are the only 30C plus days in Montreal for the last two years.

Summer!

Lots to talk about this morning. First, the weather forecast looks awesome, finally. High pressure will anchor itself off the east coast and pump warm and humid air north into our region well into next week. Simply put, sunny and warm with an outside chance of a brief thunderstorm and temperatures approaching 30C each day.

*Yesterday several rounds of thunderstorms affected Ontario and Quebec. The most intense occurred around Lac Brome and also near Toronto. Winds were recorded at 115km/h at Pearson in the afternoon. Several funnel clouds were also observed in southern Ontario. In Montreal two separate lines of storms produced brief heavy rain, but no other damage.

*Forecasters are tracking the second tropical depression of the 2009 Atlantic season. The storm is located about 535 miles south of the Cape Verde Islands. The storm is expected to reach Tropical Storm status with 39mph winds over the weekend and be named Anna.

*The Perseid meteor shower peaks today. The Perseid meteor shower is sparked every August when the Earth passes through a stream of space debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. The best time to view it in Montreal will be sadly around 2pm. That is when the frequency of meteors will be at its best. However they should remain decent up until about 10pm tonight. So after sunset find yourself a dark spot away from the city lights and enjoy. There should be about 15 or so a minute. More details HERE.

Pattern Change

A shift in the summer long weather pattern may be underway this week as the cool damp air in place for most of the last three months is being attacked by a warm, humid and very summer like air mass from the southern US. It appears the southern one will finally win out, but not before another round or two of thunderstorms. They should occur today and tomorrow before a five day stretch of sunny, 28 to 30C weather across the region. The further south you go the warmer it will be with temperatures in the 30's in New York state and points south.

Overnight some severe weather was moving about the region, including a storm that swept the Lac Brome region in the Townships, uprooting trees and downing power lines. Power is out to around 600 homes according to Hydro Quebec.

**I want to thank everyone for the kind comments. I appreciate you reading. I also want to apologize for the lack of updates at times. Life has thrown me a few curves lately and some times the blog and weather slips to the bottom of the pile.

Very humid with pm storms

Another 50/50 weekend with bright sunshine and comfortable temperatures Saturday for the 52nd annual Stowe car show in Vermont (above). The VW Bus is my fav vehicle after the Dodge Charger of course! Sunday: more clouds and showers.

Soupy, muggy, damp and grey; well you get the picture. It is a very muggy and humid morning across most of eastern Canada and the northeast US. Heavy rain and fierce thunderstorms swept southern Ontario last night with hail, damaging winds and over 50mm of rain. Toronto's Pearson Airport reported a wind gust to 96km/h around 8pm last night.

The storms passed south and east into upstate New York, missing Montreal and Kemptville. This morning the area has low clouds, fog and drizzle. It should break and become very warm and humid with thunderstorms developing late in the day. We will reach close to 30C across the entire region.

Weekend Forecast

A few sprinkles and a chilly morning greeted most this morning. The showers and any fog will dissipate and we can look forward to a sunny, but chilly day for August, around 21C. It will be very cool tonight with some single digit lows away from major cities. This will be followed by a sunny and warm Saturday, just a perfect day for the Vermont Auto Enthusiasts 56th annual car show in Stowe, Vermont. I am very much hoping to attend. Whatever your plans the weather will be good.

Sunday will see a major shift in weather patterns that will bring a very warm and humid air mass into the Great Lakes basin and southern Quebec. Showers and thunderstorms with some heavy rain will accompany the warm air on Sunday followed by a week of warm and humid conditions with temperatures between 28 and 30C. It will remain warm at night as well, close to 20C. Crank up the A/C and get the pool ready you may need them. It is important to note that some of Sunday's storms may turn severe in Ontario and Quebec as well as New York state, so keep this in mind when planning outdoor activities.

Mont-Laurier storm an F-2

Ripped from a video this photo shows the tornado forming in Mont-Laurier. (CBC.ca)

The twister that swept Mont-Laurier northwest of Montreal on Tuesday was an F-2 on the Fujita Intensity Scale. A storm of that nature is capable of producing considerable damage. They are rare, and even more so here in Quebec. It was the worst Quebec storm since the Aylmer tornado 15 years ago. The mid-afternoon tornado produced winds in excess of 200km/h and tore through the town damaging hundreds of homes. Nearly 40 are destroyed with walls and roofs removed. The town is littered with debris everywhere and power poles and trees are down. It was a miracle nobody was killed.

Sadly in the aftermath of the storm yesterday a CTV news cameraman, the son of former long time CFCF anchor Bill Haugland, Hugh Haugland, was killed when the helicopter he was riding in crashed near the town. He was filming the storm damage for the network. The pilot was killed as well. He was a 20 year veteran with two teenage daughters and a wife. Very sad indeed - my thoughts and prayers are with the family.

Storm Report HERE

Calm weather today

After yesterday's wild weather, today will be sunny and a dry 24C in Montreal, Ottawa and Kemptville. This summer has been highlighted by frequent bouts of severe weather right across the country and yesterday was no different. Reports are still being gathered, but lots of heavy rain fell with 50-75mm in southern and eastern Ontario. The automated Environment Canada observation system is out again in Kemptville, no doubt by last nights lightning. In Quebec, the Mont-Laurier tornado caused lots of damage and one injury. Environment Canada will be on the ground today to determine the strength of the tornado.

You can view a video and an updated report on the weekend storms in Calgary, HERE.

Wild lightning show

(double click for more detail) Lightning to the southwest, downtown Montreal on the right.

I was at the window with my camera as some pretty intense thunderstorms passed just south of Montreal through the La Prairie basin of the St. Lawrence Seaway. We live on the South Shore and have an unobstructed view to the southwest. This is one of many shots of the spectacular light show I was able to snap at 9pm tonight.

Mont-Laurier tornado

CTV.ca photo of damage caused by a tornado in Mont-Laurier, QC this afternoon.

According to Environment Canada a tornado swept through the community of Mont-Laurier in the Laurentians northwest of Montreal around 2:30pm this afternoon. The storm cut power to over 4000 homes and damaged about 40 homes and businesses. One home was completely demolished with one injury reported. Environment Canada is sending a team to the area tomorrow to determine the strength of the storm. It was the 6th tornado of the season in Quebec.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect for Montreal with the risk of severe weather up until about midnight tonight. Radar is showing the most intense storms at 8pm along the Quebec and Ontario border near Riviere Beaudette west to Cornwall and moving east southeast. Warnings are in effect for Dorion and Valleyfield. Rain and thunder are occurring in Montreal, but no severe weather at this hour.

A decent weather week

With all the complaining and nonsense this summer, it is safe to call this week, decent. Yesterday was very pleasant with afternoon temperatures approaching 24C. Today will be muggy and warm with gusty southwest winds ahead of an advancing cold front moving into Ontario and Quebec. the front will set the stage for showers and thunderstorms, some of which could be severe with strong winds and heavy rain. The storms will occur from mid afternoon in Kemptville to early evening for Montreal. Look for the most intense weather to be in the 401 corridor along the Quebec/Ontario border.

The balance of the week will be fair with high pressure producing cool but sunny weather. There will be a few clouds and maybe a shower late Thursday, but otherwise fair. It will warm again Sunday into Monday with possibly the warmest air of the season affecting us for a day or two. We could see our first 32C (90F) day of the summer.

- The fire situation continues to worsen in B.C. Firefighters are battling hundreds of wildfires with help from several provinces and now they are looking south into the US for more help.

- Calgary was hammered by another round of severe thunderstorms on Monday, only one 36 hours after the deadly storms of Saturday. Nearly 10cm of hail fell on the city in isolated pockets with strong tornado like winds toppling trees and disrupting power. The storms were moving at nearly 90km/h and crossed the province in only a few hours.

A spectacular sunset tonight in Montreal after another rainy day. It has rained every weekend this summer. SB pic

August started in spectacular fashion on Saturday with bright sunshine and temperatures in the upper 20's. Sadly it did not last. Today low pressure and a trailing cold front produced heavy rain in Montreal over the course of the midday period, with late afternoon thunderstorms in eastern Ontario. The thunderstorms fizzled with the setting sun and did not make it east into Quebec.

It was another day of severe weather in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The storms came on the heels of yesterdays killer storms in southern Alberta. At the annual Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, Alberta, 100km southwest of Edmonton, severe thunderstorms toppled a stage killing one and injuring 75, some critically. The late afternoon storm produced 100km/h winds. The same system toppled trees in Calgary, killing a second person and cut power to large parts of the city.

This weather is just part of what has been a terrible summer coast to coast. The only true summer weather has been in B.C., but it comes with a price. The high heat and dry weather is helping wildfires scorch hundreds of acres of forest and forced the evacuation of scores from their homes. The heat is expected to continue in the interior well into this week.

Back in Montreal we just came off the cloudiest July ever recorded in the city with limited sunshine and rain on 26 of 31 days. So far we are 1 for 2 in August.

Weekend Forecast

A few light showers are around this morning in Montreal with the bulk of the moisture remaining south of the border in Vermont and New York. Some areas there could see over 25mm of rain today adding to the heavy rain from Wednesday. Flood Watches have been posted for rivers across the central and southern part of the state.

As the month comes to an end the statistics are showing just how awful a July it was. Ottawa recorded an amazing 243mm of rain as of today, and Montreal 117mm. In Montreal measurable precipitation was recorded on 26 days this month including the first 8 days. 26 out of 31 days with at least a trace of precipitation, and cloud cover as well. We had one 30C day and that was 30.3C this week on the 29th. Just terrible! Thunderstorms rattled around and we even had a tornado.

August will begin the same way. Sunny on Saturday and 28C, very nice, but then showers and thunderstorms Sunday and cooler. Next week looks unsettled with the same patter we have had all summer.

The heat is out west. Yesterday Vancouver hit 34C for the second day in a row, and parts of the B.C. interior were close to 40C, actual air temperature. Now that is summer!

Humid with Thunderstorms

A very warm and humid air mass remains in place over Montreal this morning. Overnight the temperature remained very warm, only dropping from yesterday's high of 29C down to around 25C at 1am when nocturnal thunderstorms rattled the city. The sultry air remained after the storms and the temperature only lowered to 21C. We are at 23C and should warm to 28C with a humidex of 36C today. This will be combined with afternoon showers and thunderstorms as a cold front arrives from Ontario. Some of the storms could produce very heavy rain again so be aware of that on area roads. The other night the Metropolitan (Highway 40) service road at L'Acadie flooded once again trapping several cars, so my advice it to steer clear of the area today if more storms occur.

Warm & humid weather

Thunderstorms develop in the warm and humid air (27C and 82% RH) in Plattsburgh, N.Y. yesterday.

The air is saturated across southwest Quebec and eastern Ontario this morning. Dense fog is reported in many locations, reducing visibilities to less than 1km locally. That should burn off slowly, allowing the sun to begin mixing the air. A front will slide across the region later today triggering more showers and thunderstorms. The biggest threat from these storms will be the same as yesterday, heavy rain. Thankfully the storms were quick moving in most locations yesterday, so rainfall amounts were limited and flooding was kept down. Still, radar estimates show between 15-25mm across upstate New York in a very short period of time and observations from the South Shore here in Montreal show amounts up and over 40mm, Montreal (Dorval) recorded 19mm. The rain produced flooding along Highway 15 south of Montreal, and one lane remains closed this morning.

This weather pattern will be in place most of the week before a dryer and slightly cooler air mass moves in for next weekend. With any luck we may actually have a dry and sunny weekend to start August. We will then say goodbye to one of the coolest, dullest and rainiest July's on record!

Severe Thunderstorms

Heavy rain bubbles out of the sewers today in Plattsburgh, N.Y.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH in effect for Montreal and southwest Quebec.
It was another wild weather day across northern New York and southern Quebec today. Severe thunderstorms have been occurring all day, with very heavy rain. Radar is showing an intense line of thunderstorms with spectacular lightning moving into the Montreal area at this hour. The storms are moving northeast at 40km/h. I am watching the lightning to the southwest and it is illuminating the entire sky at a frequency of at least one flash every 30 seconds.

Today, the heavy rain and thunderstorms played with the sun all day, rain one minute, sun the next. Some areas had over an inch of rain in a very short period, with flooding reported south of Montreal and in upstate New York. I was in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and the rain was so heavy at times that sewers could not handle the flow. The warm, humid and unstable weather will continue well into this week with temperatures over 27C, with the risk of storms each day.

Weekend Forecast

Low pressure west of us over the Great Lakes, and east of Montreal along the Atlantic coast will combine to keep low clouds, showers and muggy weather across the area all weekend. It will not be a total washout. There will be some sunny breaks, but that is about it. Temperatures will warm to around 26C.

The heavy rain has remained south and east of Quebec in New England, where tropical moisture has prompted flood advisories for southern New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Over 100mm of rain is possible in some locations. West of our region the Great Lakes low is producing thunderstorms which may edge into our region today.

Same old story

I just finished reading some forecast products from the National Weather Service in Burlington, and it looks like our current weather pattern shall remain in place. Basically what you see is what you get. More showers with thunderstorms scattered right through the weekend. There will be a period of heavier rain overnight tonight as low pressure moves down the St. Lawrence Valley. The air will remain muggy, moist and unstable. Any sunshine will be limited. Low pressure over the lakes and high pressure off the Atlantic coast is funneling deep tropical moisture north into our area. Parts of Maine and Nova Scotia had 50-60mm or rain yesterday. Many areas of Ontario have had over 30mm and we can expect similar amounts in our region over the next couple of days. Temperatures will be between 20 and 26C depending on how much cloud cover is present. It will vary by region and time of day.

Tropical moisture streams north

High pressure over Bermuda is blocking weather systems from moving east creating a flow of tropical moisture flowing into the northeastern US and Canada. Heavy rain warnings have been posted for Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The threat for heavy showers and thunderstorms is present for Montreal and eastern Ontario as well right through the weekend. The pattern shows no signs of breaking down right into next week as our dismal summer continues. It will be warm and muggy and there is the chance for numerous sunny breaks, but it won't be that perfect summer weather we are all waiting for. This month so far the area has had less than 50% of the normal hours of sunshine. Montreal has recorded around 130 hours of sunshine, well below the average of over 270.

That tropical moisture will also affect New England where flooding concerns are very real for the next few days. The system of concern in the Atlantic will be watched for further development over the weekend.

Summer weather on tap

It won't be perfect, but it will be summery. A couple of fronts and low pressure anchored in the Ohio Valley will provide the area of eastern Ontario and southwestern Quebec with warm and humid weather right into the weekend. Today looks like another warm and sunny day, followed by an increased threat of showers and thunderstorms tonight. The balance of the week will see a typical summer patter with temperatures near 25 or 27C during the day and 17 to 19C at night. Any daytime heating will result in afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms, a 50 or 60% threat right through the weekend. It will not be a washout, and there will be periods of extended sunshine, but the muggy weather will mean the threat of showers is possible at any time. Seems like the best we can do this summer, so enjoy it, just keep an umbrella nearby!

Muggy weather

The recent windy and stormy weather deposited this unmanned sailboat on our property Sunday morning. No word on how long it has been drifting in the Seaway, or who the owner is.

Today will be sunny, warm and DRY. The rest of the week will be warm and humid with lots of showers and thunderstorms around right into the upcoming weekend. Temperatures will warm to close to 27C each day with humidex readings over 30C. A little more summery but sadly showery as well.

Both Saskatchewan and southern Alberta were hot and stormy over the weekend with temperatures approaching a sultry 40C in places and reports of hail and funnel clouds as well. Forest fires continue to rage in the hot weather in interior British Columbia.

Weekend Forecast

Yesterday turned out to be a fair day despite the threat of thunderstorms. Most of the severe weather remained in Ontario or passed southwest of the island of Montreal in the Valleyfield region. Both Ormstown and Hemmingford recorded 2cm hail, while 53mm of rain fell near St. Jovite. Today is very similar to Thursday, it is warm and muggy with the ever present risk of storms, however the radar at this hour looks clear. Tonight, low pressure will move across the region with rain and thunderstorms. Skies will begin to clear late Saturday, Sunday and into early next week should be decent with a warming trend.

Showers and storms

Low pressure moving east from the Prairies will bring another round of wet weather today and well into this upcoming weekend across our region. Expect showers and thunderstorms this afternoon. There will be breaks of sunshine today and again Friday and possibly Sunday behind the front.

Saturday at this time looks like a washout with 15-25mm of rain in Montreal and the Ottawa area. The good news is that next week looks much better with a round of summer weather on the way. High pressure building into the Prairies today will move east and off the Atlantic coast next week. The return flow will bring much warmer and dryer weather to our region.

Speaking of the Prairies, it is only 5C this morning in Regina. But they are forecasting a high of 20C and into the 30's over the weekend.

Brilliant Sunshine

Today will be the best day of the week before low pressure from the prairies invades the region with more rain and thunderstorms. Yesterday, Montreal only reached 18C, well below the normal of 28C for July 14. Under the bright July sun, we should reach 25C today. The balance of the week sadly will be showery and cool again with another rainy summer weekend on tap. I have lost count but I think that makes...most of them. Let's hope August has some redeeming qualities.

More rain

Is there sunshine and heat at the end of the rainbow?

Sadly more rain today as our year without a summer moves along. We have recorded 88mm of rain to July 13 in Montreal and an average temperature of only 23C, well below the normal of 27C for this time of year. Only one 30C day has been observed. The showers, thunderstorms and clouds will continue this week, with only tomorrow being sunny all day. Yesterday more storms rolled through the metro area with hail here on the West Island and over 11mm or rain in less than an hour.

This morning I took the photo above at 6:30am of a rainbow over Montreal. Maybe it is a sign of changes to come. Stay tuned!

More heavy thunderstorms

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Metro Montreal. Storms with torrential rain, pea size hail and lightning are moving into the area from the west and will continue this afternoon. Stay tuned and check the updates on the left.

F-1 Tornado in Quebec

"It was a wild weather day yesterday. I have had over 300 hits this weekend alone on my blog. Thank you so much for coming here for your weather information. It means so much to me" ...SB

Environment Canada has confirmed that the damage caused in Boisbriand and St-Eustache last night was from an F-1 Tornado on the Fujita Scale. Kudos to Environment Canada for handling the warnings last night, and for getting a team on the ground today. Tonight more thunderstorms are developing in Eastern Ontario and moving east. They are very weak and will only produce rain and some lightning. They should affect Montreal after 9pm.

Here is the official statement from Environment Canada:

AWCN40 CWUL 121734 Summary of significant weather events for the province of Québec issued by Environment Canada Montréal, Sunday, 12 July 2009....

Confirmed tornado... Severe thunderstorms moved across the Upper Laurentians between 07:00 PM and 08:00 PM Saturday evening July 11 2009. According to reports from voluntary observers and the Mirabel airport, a funnel cloud touching the ground was seen under the base of the clouds and several damages have been reported in St-Eustache and Boisbriand. An expert from Environment Canada was sent on site this morning, Sunday. He noticed many uprooted trees along a well defined corridor. Some of them had fallen over houses, causing indirect damages. Minor damages on some roofs have also been reported. According to the witnesses and the position of the debris, the expert determined that the tornado was a weak F1 category, with winds of about 120 km/h. Please note that this summary contains the observations available at broadcast time but does not constitute an official and final report of the weather events.

Possible Tornado

Mother Nature shows off her skills, dwarfing the fireworks at the Old Port in Montreal last night. (The Champlain Bridge is in the foreground).

Environment Canada will be sending a team out to St. Eustache just north of Montreal to examine damage to homes, tree and power poles in the wake of last nights severe weather. The storms produced flooding as well with 40-50mm falling in less than 1 hour.

The storms produced intense lightning as well, and I was able to rip the above stills from a video I was shooting of the fireworks at Laronde.

A little calmer

What a spectacular show tonight across the Island of Montreal. We have seen several hours of thunderstorms with intense lightning. I have a couple of photos, including one with the International Fireworks Display at Laronde and the storms competing for camera time. I will post them early tomorrow morning.

Radar is showing the last of the thunderstorm cells moving through the region and east of the city or south into New England and New York. The watches and warnings will be allowed to expire with most activity ending by midnight. Twin cold fronts produced flooding, hail, tornadoes and intense lightning across the region today. What a weather day it has been!

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

The tornado warning has been allowed to expire...

Heavy rain, thunder and fierce lightning continue across Montreal. I will post pictures after. The severe weather will continue for another two hours. Warnings remain in effect.

TORNADO WARNING....

Environment Canada has issued a Tornado Warning for Montreal the north shore including St. Eustache, Vaudreiul, as well as the South Shore effective until 9pm. A trained spotter has reported a tornado and funnel cloud near Mirabel. This cluster of storms is indicating a hook echo on radar and is moving southeast towards Montreal Island.

TORNADO WARNING: Metro Montréal - Laval Issued at 8:13 PM EDT SATURDAY 11 JULY 2009
WEATHER OBSERVERS HAVE REPORTED A TORNADO AT 07:15 PM IN MIRABEL AND AT 07:30 PM IN ST-EUSTACHE AND AT 07:40 PM IN BOISBRIAND.

THE HEAVY THUNDERSTORM CELL IS MOVING EASTWARD AND THREATENING THE ABOVE AREAS OF THE SOUTH SHORE AND MONTREAL. A SECOND INTENSE THUNDERSTORM CELL NEAR HAWKESBURY IS MOVING EASTWARD AND SHOULD ALSO PRODUCE A TORNADO OVER THE OTHER CONCERNED AREAS. GUSTS OF 100 KM/H OR MORE, AND POSSIBLY HAIL OF 2 CENTIMETRES OR MORE AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM COMPLEX. PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATELY THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND LISTEN FOR UPDATES OR SUBSEQUENT SEVERE WEATHER WARNINGS. THIS WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 08:10 PM TO 09:10 PM EDT.

Severe Weather Update

Fire and public security tend to flooding along the lake shore in Lachine around 3pm today.

**Double click on the photos to see a close up of just how intense the rain was.

A line of thunderstorms swept across the Island of Montreal today with torrential rains. An estimated 30mm and more locally fell in less than 1 hour across the western and central parts of the Island. Flooding occurred in many areas including the photos I took from Lachine (above) along the St. Lawrence River. The heavy rain was accompanied by lightning and winds approaching 50km/h. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect, and radar is showing a second line approaching the region from the west. It is currently affecting eastern Ontario and approaching Kemptville. These storms have less rain, but more wind and even hail. Be aware of the severe weather threat this evening, which should ease by 9pm. The storms also caused damage earlier today in Toronto and other parts of Ontario.

Ontario tornado kills 2

The remains of fishing cabins at Lac Seul, Ontario after an EF-2 tornado Thursday.

Two men from Oklahoma fishing in Lac Seul, Ontario were killed late Thursday night and a third is missing after a tornado ripped through this remote fishing camp in northern Ontario. OPP have confirmed they pulled two men from the lake while the body of the third is still missing. Environment Canada said the twister struck after 8pm Thursday night, and have confirmed it was an EF-2 tornado capable of 200km plus winds. They were the first tornado deaths in Ontario since the Barrie storm of May 31, 1985. While weak tornadoes do occur on a regular basis, (every tornado is dangerous) an EF-2 is rare in Canada. The storm was part of a larger system that has a history of severe weather from Alberta eastward and will be pressing into eastern Ontario and the Montreal area today. Environment Canada and the National Weather Service have both indicated a slight risk of severe weather in our region today. Look for thunderstorms to develop anytime after noon and produce heavy rains and hail. Be vigilant today if you are outdoors and seek shelter at the first sign of storms. Remember that the conditions are right for intense thunderstorms and this system has a history of hail, flooding rains and the tornado.

About 80 tornadoes a year form in Canada, most in Ontario and Saskatchewan, however they can develop anywhere, and the rural farm area south and east of Montreal has a history of tornadoes. Just last week a funnel cloud was observed near Cornwall. Already this morning radar is showing storms developing in the upper Ottawa Valley and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been posted in and around Renfrew, Algonquin, Parry Sound and the Muskokas.

Stormy Saturday

Today will be sunny and warm. Enjoy your Friday.

It looks like all the elements are present for a severe weather outbreak in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec on Saturday. A strong cold front with a powerful jet stream will be approaching from the west. Humid air will be in place, so we can expect thunderstorms to develop Saturday afternoon, first in Ontario then in our region. Heavy rain and gusty winds will be the main threat. Winds will be out of the southwest at 30-50km/h most of Saturday, with gusts to 90km/h possible in any severe weather that develops.

Sunday will clear out, be calm and a little cooler, before more showers next week. The pattern that has brought us our soggy summer shows no signs of breaking down for the next week at the very least.

More tonight on the severe weather threat as well as El Nino and the Bermuda High.

Sunny finally!

The answer to yesterdays question is today. Here comes summer, for at least the next two days anyway. The entire region will be influenced by high pressure today. It will be sunny and 25C today and all the way up to 28C on Friday or 83F! Saturday and Sunday look unsettled once again, humid with showers and thunderstorms. Some clearing may occur on Sunday. Enjoy today!

This morning there is some fog across rural areas of Montreal, western Quebec and eastern Ontario. That should burn off very soon if it has not done so already.

When will summer arrive?

I feel cheated this year, I love hot and humid weather, and summer is nowhere in sight. The rain and thunderstorms keep occurring on a daily basis. Yesterday was no exception with the mercury struggling to reach 22 or 23C and thunderstorms popping up by late afternoon. As a matter of fact at one point watches and warnings for severe thunderstorms affected most of the northeastern US, affecting over 26 million people. In Montreal lightning is suspected of causing a fire in Pierrefonds last night that destroyed a single family home.

I wish I had better news, but it looks like more of the same weather today, with a respite Thursday and Friday, sunny and 26C, and then a similar pattern developing this weekend into next week with showers and humid.

More showers

It what has become a familiar trend this summer, low pressure will stall once again over our region with showers and thunderstorms through Wednesday. Yesterday we has some heavy downpours with isolated thunder. This morning some storms are already showing up on radar in the St. Lawrence Valley between New York and Ontario. Look for another unsettled day today with any sunshine only adding to the risk for storms. It should clear and be slightly warmer by Thursday.

50/50 weekend

I froze Saturday! I wore shorts defying the forecast, after all it is July. Well the temperature started out at 22C in Montreal, but rapidly dropped to 15C by mid-afternoon with showers, thunderstorms and gusty northwest winds. It was crazy for July, with the temperatures running over 10 degrees below normal. Sunday however turned out to be awesome, the warm July sun pushed the temperatures up to around 24C in the area with locally some reports of 27C. So all in all not bad, but sadly it will not last. Look for another cold core low to stall out over the region till at least Wednesday. Expect showers and thunderstorms today in Kemptville and Montreal, some with hail, gusty winds and heavy rain. More showers for the next two days and much cooler with highs near 20C. The good news is a warming trend is in sight from Thursday into next weekend, when we may actually see highs above 27C. Stay tuned!

Out west the severe weather continues with heavy rain in Alberta, up to 150mm may fall this week. Tornadoes and funnel clouds were reported again in Alberta and Saskatchewan over the weekend. No injuries or damage occurred.

Funnel Clouds

6pm Radar of showers and thunderstorms spinning around the upper level low, as they have been doing all week. Then activity dies down after sunset.

The core of this upper air disturbance that has been around all week is centered over southwestern Quebec this afternoon. Heavy showers with some thunder have been occurring all afternoon and will continue into this evening. The OPP received a report of a funnel cloud in Chesterville just southeast of Winchester. Expect the possibility of more weak funnel clouds this afternoon until sunset when the air should become a little more stable. Funnel clouds are dangerous if they reach the ground.

Weekend Forecast

Well, we finally have some good news! First today, Friday, looks like that stubborn area of low pressure, at least on radar, is spinning over Eastern Ontario this morning. So in one week it has moved from the Soo to Ottawa. It needless to say is a very slow system. We can expect at least another 24 hours of showers with today being very wet in Kemptville and Montreal. The rain and thunderstorms have been moving from south to north all week, they will switch from northwest to southeast today indicating that the system is finally beginning some movement. The good news is we can expect weak high pressure to clear us out late in the day Saturday, providing the region with a sunny and warm Sunday (24C). More rain is expected on Monday, but we will get to that later.

More of the same

The same stubborn area of low pressure crawling across Ontario and Quebec will generate more showers and thunderstorms today. The risk has increased in Montreal for severe weather this afternoon, as the axis has shifted a little east. Look for them to develop anytime after lunch from Upstate NY into Eastern Ontario including Kemptville and especially western and southwestern Quebec. Heavy rain and small hail will be the main threats.

There is a risk of funnel clouds or even waterspouts near the Great Lakes.

The weekend sadly looks the same, showers and cooler, near 21C

Thunderstorm Update

Thunderstorms move across the west end of Montreal earlier this evening. SB Pic

8:40pm UPDATE: Thunderstorms passed through Montreal in the last hour moving from south to north across the central and western part of the Island. The warnings for that storm have been dropped, and I imagine the watch will be allowed to expire shortly. Radar shows most of the activity is beginning to wane with the setting sun. Look for activity to pick up again during the afternoon on Thursday as a stubborn slow moving upper level low continues to sit across Ontario and Quebec.

Happy Canada Day Everyone...

It has been a wonderful day so far in Montreal. We reached 25C under mostly sunny skies with developing cumulus clouds and very muggy (Humidex 31C). Radar is showing heavy thunderstorms developing in Franklin and Clinton County in New York and moving north into southern Quebec. These storms will continue to develop this afternoon into this evening up until sun set and the air becomes a little more stable. The same scenario will repeat itself tomorrow. All of upstate New York is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch and Franklin County is under a warning at this hour. These storms are producing lots of lightning, gusty winds and heavy rain. Hail has also been reported.