Mild weather contiues

High pressure continues to dominate the weather in southern Quebec and eastern Ontario with mild and sunny March weather. Temperatures will continue to be well above normal right through the weekend. A weak cold front this morning is producing some clouds and a few sprinkles south of Montreal across the Adirondacks. Clouds will clear and it will be another sunny and warm day with temperatures pushing 10C. Strong low pressure over the Midwestern US is producing very heavy rain and some severe weather in the form of hail and scattered tornadoes across the southern plains and into the southeast. This storm will move north and east and along the Atlantic coast with heavy rain and strong winds. The weather will deteriorate across the St. Lawrence Valley Saturday and into Sunday with clouds on the increase, scattered showers and gusty winds. I think at this time that the heaviest rain will remain south of the region from southern New England into the middle Atlantic states. This situation may change, but at this time the heavy rain will remain south of Quebec and hopefully the St. Patrick's Day parade in Montreal on Sunday will be dry.

Oklahoma Tornado

Post #900 (Hard to believe, thanks for reading!)

A true sign of the seasons yesterday as severe thunderstorm and tornado activity was reported across the southern plains of the US. Low pressure, which will become our weekend weather maker, moved from California across the southern plains producing the heavy storms and spawning a tornado near Hammon, Oklahoma. No injuries were reported, but damage was significant and 5 homes were destroyed. Tornado activity typically increases across this region from March into April and May before it shifts northward. On average Oklahoma records 4 March tornadoes, last year there was only one.

Meanwhile Montreal was sunny and a warm 10C yesterday as most of our snow continued to dissolve away. The forecast is for sunny and mild weather into Friday morning before the southern plains storm moves into the region with rain for the weekend.

Fair, Dry & Mild

High pressure will continue to dominate our weather this week with sunshine and mild temperatures. A cool breeze will be around today gusting to 40km/h but after that it should be very pleasant for the balance of the work week. High temperatures will be around plus 7C with cool overnight lows around -5C. Most of our snow is now gone with the exception of where it was piled up by the plows. Not sure if that is it for our winter, but I would say not. The next chance for precipitation and clouds will not come until late Friday when low pressure moves in from the deep south.

Weekend Update

A very simple forecast for Montreal, Ottawa, Plattsburgh and the region, sunny and mild. Temperatures will reach 6C (43F) on both Saturday and Sunday with abundant sunshine. It would be even warmer, but I believe the snow cover and north wind will keep our temperatures in check. A weak storm system will slide across the Great Lakes on Monday with flurries or showers followed by sunny and dry weather for the balance of the week. Another larger storm may affect the region by next weekend, but early indications are that is will follow the similar path of the winter and pass south of New England and miss Montreal.

The Blizzard of 1971

Classic images of the Blizzard of 1971 in Montreal. My most vivid weather memories were of the small sidewalk plows like the one in the photo above and the scores of snowmobiles.

As we prepare to enjoy our first round of spring weather, my thoughts are on March 4, 1971, a day that I remember so well. I was only 5 years old when the largest blizzard in Montreal history slammed the city. I spent the day literally in the windowsill of our duplex on LaSalle Boulevard in Verdun watching the events unfold. We were right on the St. Lawrence River and the wind howled down that street. Little did I know that day would spark a lifelong passion in weather. It remains to this day the largest snowstorm to strike this city and parts of the province. The 24 hour snow totals were impressive with 47cm in Montreal and over 60cm in other parts of Quebec and Ontario. Drifts were over 6 feet high. That was just a small part of the story. This storm was an Atlantic nor'easter with the ferocity of a hurricane. The barometric pressure during the height of the storm dropped to 972mb or that of a Category 2 hurricane and winds gusted to over 120km/h in many parts of the St. Lawrence Valley including 110km/h at then Dorval Airport. I spent the day in the window watching snowmobiles go back and forth in the zero visibility for hours rescuing motorists and delivering people to area hospitals. Roads were closed including the 401 and 20 and power was out to thousands of Hydro customers.

I found some photos from a news report by Radio Canada and posted them on this entry.
Here is another link to find out much more on the Blizzard of 1971.

Another near miss

From AccuWeather.com, a dog frolics in the snow across the deep south yesterday as they continue to have our winter!

Low pressure will move from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to well east of Long Island, NY tonight. Snow has spread from the deep south through the middle Atlantic and into coastal New England today with up to 10cm of wet snow expected. Winds will be strong out of the northeast up to 80km/h. This weather will move into Maine and coastal New Brunswick and Nova Scotia tonight. Meanwhile strong high pressure will build into the St. Lawrence Valley with spring weather for Montreal. The only fly in the forecast will be gusty northeast winds from that Atlantic Ocean storm. They will blow out of the northeast in the order of 20 to 40km/h today making it feel cool and capping the temperature at 2 or 3C. Abundant sunshine will last into the weekend with warm temperatures, well above freezing during the day and just below at night, reaching 8C by Saturday. Yesterday it was colder in parts of Georgia and Alabama than it was in Montreal. Snow fell in Atlanta, closing roads and schools as the bizzaro winter of 2009/10 rolls along.

Early Spring Weather

Partly cloudy days with clear nights and mild temperatures can be expected for the balance of this week. Temperatures will be well above normal in the warm March sun. I expect it to easily make it to 5C across the area today. Montreal was 6C yesterday with plenty of snow melting. At this rate we may see our lawns by the weekend. No precipitation is expected before next Monday. Low pressure developing today near North Carolina will move out into the Atlantic well south of New England. The next threat for any snow or rain will come next Sunday night and Monday.

Enjoy the mild weather but remember, that March and April hold the distinction of having the biggest snowstorms in Montreal and southern Quebec including the record breaking March 4, 1971 storm and the March 13, 1993 super storm as well as on April 4, 1975. You get the idea I could go on there are so many more examples. I guess what I am saying is don't put away the shovel just yet.

In like a lamb

That old March saying is once again upon us "In like a Lamb, out like a Lion"

Well it appears lamb-like across our region today. Low pressure once again along the east coast will provide steady snow and rain from New York City and Boston into Maine and the Maratimes. It will spare our area with the exception of a few showers or flurries and some gusty northwest winds. A few centimetres may accumulate near the US border and into Vermont. Skies will clear out very slowly on Tuesday and high pressure will take over and dominate the weather for the balance of the week with sunny skies and very mild temperatures. Overnight lows will be in the -5 to -8C range with daytime highs in the warm March sun soaring to between 4 and 6C on the plus side. Ice and snow will begin to melt quickly so keep that in mind when venturing near area waterways. Also make sure that drains and catch basins are free of snow and ice so that the winter can flow freely away!

Canada Wins GOLD

Canada 3 USA 2 (OT)

What can I say but thank you to our athletes. Syd the Kid scored in OT to capture the gold medal against the US at the Vancouver Olympics and increase our gold medal total to a record 14. The previous record was 13 gold set by Russia. Thank You! Merci!

3.9 Quake in Montreal region

USGS Map of the tremor

Within the last hour, as I was sitting down watching the bronze medal hockey game, a low rumble resembling that of a jet engine roared through the house in a wave of energy. On a day that has seen several major earthquakes around the world, the Ottawa Valley into the metro Montreal region was rattled by a 3.9 magnitude quake at 22:52 eastern time. The quake was centered near Lachute, Quebec on the Ottawa River about 45km northwest of my location. Earthquake Canada said the quake was felt, but there are no immediate reports of any damage. Meanwhile in Chile the death toll is over 300 from the 8.8 quake this morning. Other quakes have occurred today in northern California, Oklahoma and Japan among others.

Chile Quake & Tsunami

It has been quite a month around the world from storms to quakes and floods. We have had a major earthquake overnight on the Chile coast. It has generated a tsunami that has prompted tsunami warnings for numerous Pacific islands including Hawaii. There is also a tsunami advisory for Vancouver Island. Residents in the warning areas are urged to get to higher ground. Those in the advisory region have been told to get away from area beaches. In Chile, major damage has been reported with casualties. Details are just coming in, but it appears at least 125 people have died, buildings and bridges have collapsed.

**More information on the Tsunami can be found HERE
and on the Quake HERE.

100km/h Winds

Damage in Montreal this morning (Pic J. Elman)

Heavy snow cut power across New England, including in New Hampshire shown above.
(The Baltimore Sun)

With thunderous noise, high winds moved into the St. Lawrence Valley after midnight last night. They gusted over 90km/h in Montreal and up to 100km/h in the Quebec City area. High Wind Warnings are flying up and down the St. Lawrence Valley from Brockville to east of Quebec City. The winds have brought down tree limbs and power lines, and as of 8am Hydro Quebec is reporting 106,000 homes without power in the province.

Strong low pressure will very slowly fill over southeastern New York today, but not before dominating the weather today and into the weekend. Heavy wet snow fell in a wide swath from New York City north and west into southern Quebec and Ontario. Numerous roads were closed with many accidents on both sides of the border. In the last 3 days Montreal has had close to 30cm of wet snow, including 8cm yesterday. The heavy wet snow made last evenings rush hour challenging in the city. It was driven around by the increasing northeast winds. Winds will very slowly drop below warning criteria this morning, but remain high well into the evening. Radar is dry at the moment except for a few flurries over the city. Look for snow to increase in coverage from the south again later this afternoon for Montreal with another 5cm expected along with blowing snow tonight. Temperatures in Montreal will peak at 2C this morning and then slowly drop to 0C for the next day or so. Travel with great care today especially west into Ontario and south into New York. This storm hammered the northeast and New England with heavy wet snow, flooding rains, hurricane force winds and huge waves along the coast.
Some Stats:
Highest Winds: Mt. Washington, NH 119mph, Salem, MA 77mph, Quebec City 60mph, Montreal 50mph.

Snow: Randolf, NH 24" (60cm), Montreal 12" (30cm)

Pressure: Martha's Vineyard, Mass near the center of the storm 975mb, by comparison Montreal also a very low 992mb.

High winds expected

As our current storm begins to end across the region we are already looking at precipitation edging northward from storm number 2. Most of the day today will be relatively tranquil but snow and rain will begin again late this afternoon and continue overnight. I am expecting a slushy mix in Montreal with as much as 10cm west of the city towards Ontario.

Yesterday's system dumped about 20cm of wet snow on Montreal with over 30cm in Burlington, Vermont, and upwards of 50cm over the Townships. This next storm is off the coast of North Carolina this morning near Cape Hatteras. The system is expected to lift northward towards New York City by Friday morning while deepening dramatically. Central pressure is expected to lower to the 970mb range making it a top five winter storm. The heaviest of snow will fall from the Ontario border west while rain is expected in eastern New York and most of southern Quebec. The rain snow line will be very close to Montreal, so the forecast needs to be monitored.

STRONG WINDS
The big weather news with this storm will be the wind. As the storm intensifies winds will come out of the northeast in Montreal and gust over 50km/h. They will increase to 80km/h in gusts tonight, and over 100km/h in the Quebec City region and along the spine of the Green Mountains in Vermont. The storm is expected to linger into this upcoming weekend with wind, flurries and showers. This is a fluid situation with this storm, so I will try to update the blog later today.

As far as warnings go, high wind warnings are in effect for Quebec City and the Beauce region with Winter Weather Advisories in effect for the St. Lawrence Valley of New York. High Wind Watches are also posted for Vermont. Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for western and central New York and for the Niagara and Hamilton regions in Ontario.
Additional warnings may be posted later today.

Storm Continues

Images of the storm on the West Island during the lunch hour today. ValleyWX Pictures

Radar at 2pm is showing light to moderate snow falling from northern New York across eastern Ontario and Southern Quebec. Snow amounts range from 15cm in the Montreal region to as much as 50cm across the region. Over 10,000 homes are without power in Vermont. The snow will taper off to flurries and showers later today. More snow and strong winds are forecast for Thursday as another storm lifts north into the region. Major highways in Montreal are slushy and wet but all other roads are snow packed and icy, travel is not advised into the Townships or along Interstate 87 and 89 today as heavy snow continues to fall. Vermont and New York are forecasting 1 to 2 feet of wet snow.

Warnings Issued

More heavy snow is forecast for the northeast into New England and southern Quebec. Above is a photo from the Salem County News in New Jersey.
They are expecting the third major storm this month.

11:30 am UPDATE: Warnings Extended into our region: Low pressure continues to move north into New England at 11:30am. Heavy snow is now falling in Montreal and warnings have been extended into the Ottawa Valley, Lachute and areas west and north of the city. Heavy Snow Warnings have also been posted for the 401 corridor from the Quebec Border to Prescott, Ontario and north to Highway 43. The snow will accumulate from 15-25cm today. Visibility is low and roads are snow packed and icy. The snow is very heavy and wet. More details later today.


As expected wet snow developed overnight across the region as low pressure moved into southern New England. The snow was the heaviest from Albany into the Catskills north into southern Vermont and the Green Mountains and into the eastern Townships. This morning travel is not recommended on Highway 10 east of Montreal towards Sherbrooke and south along Interstate 89. The snow has accumulated over 15cm with as much as 30cm reported. The heavy wet snow has brought down power lines, and dozens of schools are closed in Vermont and New York. There are reports of tractor trailers stuck on hills along the Eastern Townships Autoroute. Here in Montreal the snow has been much lighter, but roads are icy and snow packed and travel is slow. Around 5cm fell overnight with another 10cm or so expected today. The snow is very elevation dependent and very localized. Even on the Island of Montreal some places are reporting rain while not too far away it is snowing (L'Ile Perrot vs Dorval for example). Winter Storm Warnings remain in effect for Vermont, northern New York, the Townships and Laurentians through tonight.

Our attention will then turn to the next storm developing across the southern plain states. This system will follow a similar path up into southern New England. Heavy snow will fall along and to the west of the storm track from New Jersey and Delaware north into New York and Vermont. Winds will be very strong with this next storm and warnings may be needed. We will clear this storm out of the way today and then deal with the next system. Expect more rain and snow with strong winds to move into Montreal and southern Quebec by late Thursday. Amounts will be difficult to forecast with plenty of warm air arriving with the storm.

Winter Storm update

Wet snow slowed the morning commute this morning in Montreal.

5:30pm UPDATE: Winter Storm Warning has been posted by Environment Canada for the Laurentians for 15-25cm of snow. The snow will mix with rain in Montreal, but we may still see 10-15cm by the time it changes to showers late Wednesday. Travel will be quite changeable region wide with snow covered roads in places and low visibility in heavy wet snow.

Low pressure that moved to our south overnight dumped between 2 and 5cm of wet snow on the region. The snow has since tapered off but will begin again after midnight tonight. Low pressure is expected to deepen along the east coast of the US and move north towards Long Island tonight, and eventually into northern New England. A wide swath of moisture will fall along and to the west of the storm track. At present, Winter Storm Warnings have been posted for Vermont and New Hampshire westward into eastern New York, with Winter Weather Advisories for the St. Lawrence Valley of New York. No warnings have been issued yet for Quebec or Ontario. Snow is expected to accumulate 10 to 20cm across the Warning area with 5-15cm elsewhere including Montreal. The snow will mix with rain on Wednesday. I will update this storm again later today.

Active Weather Week

A slightly cooler but bright Monday morning across the region today as high pressure is in control. This will be short lived, as we are in for a very active weather week. Since my entry last week about so little snow, we have had close to 15cm of wet snow over several days. So much for the record books. We will add to that total this week with snow expected every night and a mix of rain and snow during the daylight hours. Temperatures will be mild, a couple of degrees either side of the freezing point region wide. Today low pressure over the Midwest has prompted heavy snow warnings for southwest Ontario and Winter Storm Warnings in Michigan and Indiana, where 10-20cm is forecast. This storm will slide east and become nearly stationary along the Eastern Seaboard. It will remain there the entire week perhaps even moving back west. This will result in moisture being fed west across New England and southern Quebec. Snow will begin Tuesday and mix with rain at times. We will have periods of snow right into Friday. Precipitation will range from steady at times to completely stopped at others. Amounts are difficult to estimate at this time, but anther 15cm is not out of the question. This weather will have to be monitored closely for the exact time frame when we are expecting the heavier snow. Right now it looks like Tuesday night into Wednesday morning and again late Thursday, advisories may be needed. Today will be the best travel day of the week.

Surprise Snowfall

After a long break, the plows were out across the Island and
here in Beaconsfield this morning. ValleyWX Pic

Who knew that all we had to do to get snow here in Montreal was talk about how little has fallen in February. As expected a frontal trough of low pressure pinwheeled its way from the northeast around strong low pressure in Atlantic Canada. What was not expected was the level of enhancement as the trough crossed our region. Steady snow began last night and has just started to taper off this morning. Officially at the airport close to 6cm has fallen or double our monthly snowfall to date. There was even more off island to the southwest where I estimated 7 or more centimetres when I left the house at 6:30 this morning. The wind and "fluff factor" added to the snow depth. I expect close to 10cm may be the final tally in many regions again especially off island to the south and west, along with blowing snow as winds increase out of the northwest from 30-50km/h. Travel is slow this morning with rush hour resembling that of the first snowfall of the season and not a February snow. The weekend will be cloudy and fairly mild with a good chance of flurries. Next week looks interesting with several storms possibly affecting the region with snow. I will post more on that later today. For the moment if you are travelling allow extra time as roads are snow covered and visibility is lowered.

Snow Drought

The sun rises this morning on low pressure spinning over Newfoundland.

This may be one of the dullest weather periods in my 25 plus years of tracking weather. Just how dull has it been? Day after day of partly cloudy skies with a flurrie or two and moderate temperatures has left us with just 2.8cm of snow for the month of February. Records will be broken if that value holds. It is neither cold nor warm, there has been day after day of stagnant air with very little "weather" to speak of. I hate that term, "no weather" I don't like it when it is used, but really February has been nearly void of active weather in Montreal. This morning low pressure is spinning over Newfoundland and sending a trough over the region. Winds will increase from the northwest and gust to 50km/h with a couple of centimetres of snow overnight tonight and into Friday morning. It will remain unsettled but mild with flurries through the weekend.

A quick comparison between Baltimore and Montreal for snowfall this season. (Baltimore is in brackets) For February: Montreal 2.8cm, Baltimore (125 cm), January: 44.8cm (6cm), December 56.4cm (58cm) and November 5.4cm (0cm). Despite the slow start for Baltimore they win hands down.

Some snow

Sorry folks, every now and then work and life get in the way of weather, and I hate it when that happens. In this case it was work and perhaps a little thing called the Daytona 500 that lasted 7 hours this past Sunday. In any event the weather continues to be tranquil if not downright boring across our region. Low pressure is racing across the Ohio Valley and off the east coast today with up to 15cm of snow along its path. The bulk of the moisture will stay to our south. The storm will intensify off the east coast tonight and dump steady snow cross New England and into Atlantic Canada. Again most of the moisture will stay south and east of Montreal with just a centimetre or two expected. This may bring our monthly snowfall up to a whopping 4cm...unreal!

Temperatures will continue to be very mild for February running close to the freezing point and no colder than -5C at night. The mild and dull trend will last well into this upcoming weekend. Our snow has dwindled down to a few inches scattered about, and most of it is icy and dirty. The snow is not very good for outdoor activities. We could use some new powder.

Weekend Update

We had a beautiful sunrise over the Island of Montreal today, however it is cold. Temperatures are around -13C with a stiff west northwest wind blowing and wind chill values below -22C. Winds will increase today and remain elevated over the weekend in the 20-40km/h range. This is a result of that stubborn storm that affected the US east coast this week. It is beginning to retrograde towards the west and is approaching the Newfoundland coast. It will continue west into Central Quebec over the weekend. The result will be a variable forecast with the chance of light snow intermittently over the weekend and gusty winds. There may be an enhancement in the snowfall late Sunday and Monday as yet another low pressure system approaches the middle Atlantic states. As I said it is a complicated scenario.

So today - partly cloudy and then the balance of the weekend cloudy with scattered snow showers. It will remain chilly. We may end up with several centimetres by the time the weekend is over. Newfoundland, and parts of Nova Scotia and PEI are receiving freezing rain from this system along with very strong winds. Along the Labrador coast, it is snow and blowing snow.

One for the record books

"It's hard to find anything in the

history books of these types of storms back to back."

- National Weather Service meteorologist Stephen Konarik

There are so many numbers that I could use to quantify just how unusual and severe this past week has been from Washington to New York. I have decided to look at hard hit Baltimore (shown above yesterday). That city normally has 18 inches of snow for the season (less than 50 cm). In back to back storms over the past 4 days they have accumulated over 42 inches of snow. Their seasonal total is now well over 70 inches, more than any other season on record dating back to 1893. The previous record was 63 inches set in 1995-96. Combine that with fierce winds of over 40mph and you have truly a Storm of the Century, maybe the last 2 Centuries. Maryland and New Jersey along with southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware were the hardest hit areas once again from yesterdays storm. Snow totals ranged from 1 to 2 feet for most locations including a foot in New York City. Amounts tapered off quickly north of metro New York into Connecticut as the storm pulled out to sea. Maryland has been in the ideal location for this storm track. Copious moisture pulling in off the Atlantic meeting just enough cold air and strong northerly winds. Schools remain closed statewide today. The federal government is also shut down for the 4th straight day at an estimated cost of 100 million a day in lost revenue (their numbers not mine).

Another storm sliding into the Pacific coast will affect the same region by early next week. Montreal will remain on the far northern edge of this system once again with just flurries and low clouds expected. Our snow drought continues, as we are stuck at 2cm for the month. The reality is that is is colder in Washington D.C. with more snow than most of Canada including fair and warm Vancouver, where a lack of snow is a real problem for the upcoming Olympics. Snow is being trucked in...unreal!

Another miss

The weather in Montreal, southern Quebec and into eastern Ontario continues to be very tranquil. Cloud cover from low pressure developing along the US east coast will continue to thicken over the region today along with an increase in northeast winds. Temperatures will be fairly mild at -4C. We are not expecting any precipitation from the second big east coast storm in less than a week. The northern extent of the snow will be from the southern Champlain Valley southward. Only a trace to 2 inches is expected through central Vermont with 2 to 4 inches in southern Vermont and close to Albany, NY. The heaviest snow with this system has fallen from lower Michigan and Southwest Ontario, where Windsor has picked up over 15cm, across Pennsylvania and into the middle Atlantic. Most schools are closed in New York City today and nearly 6000 flights have been canceled from Washington to Boston in anticipation of the snow. The storm is expected to deepen rapidly east of Delaware today and move along the coast towards Long Island. Snow is expected to become heavy in New York and Boston later today with up to a foot expected. Winds will increase from the north and gust to 50mph later today causing near blizzard conditions from Delaware north into New Jersey and metro New York. The storm will affect eastern Newfoundland on Thursday. A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for the Avalon.

The next big storm

Interstate 95 on Sunday

Windsor, Ontario this afternoon is down to 1km visibility in snow and blowing snow with 15-25cm expected. They will be the only region along with the immediate Lake Erie shoreline in Ontario and Quebec to be affected by the latest winter storm. This storm comes rapidly on the heels of this past weekends record breaking blizzard. Some streets have yet to be plowed across the middle Atlantic and airports were just getting back to normal. Power remains out in many locations as this next storm bears down on the region. Snow is expected from Virginia's eastern shore across the DC metro area and northward into New York and southern New England. With a track further north, New York City will be affected this time with up to 30cm expected. Travel once again in the busy northeast corridor will be severely impacted just as it was returning to normal. Coastal areas will have a mix of precipitation, but will, have to deal with high surf and strong winds. The storm is expected to move towards Atlantic Canada by Thursday. Winter Storm Watches at this point are in effect towards Boston.

We are not expecting any snow or weather from this system as the snow drought in Montreal continues. So far in February Montreal has recorded only 2cm of snow or less than 1 inch. On average we should have over 45cm for the month.

Middle: A large storm east of Newfoundland is spreading snow west into Atlantic Canada, New England and Quebec. Top and below: A few pictures from the middle Atlantic storm.

Lots to talk about quickly as I prepare to watch Superbowl 44, Go SAINTS! The weather in Miami, ideal for football, clear and 17C (63F).

The epic east coast snowstorm is over. The stats are stunning to say the least. Nearly 3 feet of snow in many locations with many more recording 24 to 28 inches including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Dover and Washington, some their largest or second largest storm ever. Many highways were closed as well as flights cancelled. Over 300,000 were left without power as the heavy wet snow brought down trees and lines across the Middle Atlantic. The storm is now well east of the area in the open Atlantic. Meanwhile another storm is taking shape across the southwest and will move across the US once again and south of our region.

Lost in all the US east coast news was a large ocean storm east of Newfoundland that pounded that province with heavy snow and fierce winds. The RCMP shut down many roads and advised against any travel. That storm is retrograding towards the coast tonight and has pushed snow down the St. Lawrence Valley and into Quebec City and the Townships. It will continue moving southwest and affect Montreal and northern Vermont. Winter Weather Advisories are in effect for the Champlain Valley of Vermont and the northern Green Mountains. Up to 15cm may fall in those regions, with just a dusting expected in Montreal. Warnings are also in effect for the Gaspe and Saguenay regions for up to 30cm of snow.

Massive southern storm

Heavy wind whipped wet snow along the Jersey Shore in Ocean City last night.

Low pressure continues to deepen east of the Outer Banks this morning. Strong winds and heavy wet snow have been falling in a narrow band from northern North Carolina across Virginia and Maryland through DC and into Delaware and southern New Jersey. As of this morning over a foot had fallen in many locations with upwards of 2 feet forecast. Winds have been gusting over 40mph across the region as well making it nearly impossible to travel. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia. The wet snow has brought down trees and power lines as well, with thousands in the dark with no heat. The snow will extend no further north than New York City. The main area of low pressure will move well south of Long Island today. Last night blizzard warnings were in effect along the Delmarva while just to the south on the Outer Banks a tornado watch was in effect. This shows the tremendous dynamics involved with this storm and just how powerful it is.

Our weather in comparison, is well, boring and has been really all winter. Today sunny and chilly with a high around -9C. A few more clouds and maybe a flurrie possible in Montreal tomorrow. There are some indications that the next storm, currently over California may take a path further north and affect New England by late Wednesday. Little or no mention of this in the Canadian forecast. We will have to look at later computer model runs to nail down the exact track and strength.

Middle Atlantic storm

Surface high pressure will dominate the weather across Ontario and Quebec throughout the weekend with sunshine and seasonable temperatures. There is just a slight risk of some clouds and flurries from a strengthening east coast storm late Sunday across Quebec.

Meanwhile that storm will become a powerhouse with heavy snow and blizzard conditions from New Jersey across Delaware and into Maryland and northern Virginia. This area has had more snow than Montreal, and will add another 18-24 inches with strong winds. Coastal flooding will compound the snow along the Jersey and Delaware coasts. If I had the time I know where I would be this weekend!

The storm is forecast to dump heavy rain south of that line into the Carolinas and Georgia. Further south in Superbowl and NASCAR land the weather looks ideal in Miami and Daytona, sunny and mild.

Travel will become impossible in many places including Jersey City, Philadelphia, Washington and Baltimore beginning today. Many flights have been cancelled already. The snow will spread north into New York City Saturday but remain well south of our region and northern New England as the storm slides out to sea well south of Long Island.

Storm track to our south

Our weather continues to be very docile for mid-winter. A weak frontal boundary will pass through the region today with light flurries accumulating 1 or 2 cm at best. This will be followed by strong high pressure that will keep any threatening storms well to our south. The sunny and cold weather will continue right through the weekend.

Meanwhile low pressure developing over the Gulf of Mexico will move along the Texas coast and into the Southeast. This storm will produce heavy rain(2-5 inches) in the Gulf States with another snowstorm developing north of the system in Virginia, Tennessee and the middle Atlantic states by Friday. This storm has the potential to hinder travel across the southern and eastern part of the US into the weekend.

No major weather is expected in the near future for Montreal or Ontario.

Six more weeks of winter

Update: From Wiarton Willie,

There is the sunrise, send the news to the printer, So I see my shadow, Six more weeks of Winter!

On this Groundhog Day and despite the presence of cloud cover, Phil in western Pennsylvania has seen his shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter. We are still waiting for Wiarton Willie on the Bruce Peninsula to make his Canadian prediction which usually is available after 8am.

Here is the official word from Punxsutawney Phil
(at right from visitPA.com)
The Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Punxsutawney Phil proclaimed, "If you want to know next, you must read my text. As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me.
So six more weeks of winter it will be."

Groundhog Day

I somehow have made it through another January, I must say it is my least favorite month of the year. Once February arrives the days are noticeably longer and the temperature begins to oh so very slowly warm. I did however find this mornings damp -14C colder than any day last week including the -22C mornings. A few flurries fell overnight and more are expected this afternoon as a weak disturbance slides east of the region. Winds will become gusty again and it will dip to -18C tonight. Another bright and sunny day for Tuesday before more light snow on Wednesday. All in all not too bad a weather week with chilly temperatures, but no major storms expected.

**Tomorrow is Groundhog Day. All eyes will be on Phil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and Willie on the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario for their predictions. Very simple, see the shadow, 6 more weeks of winter, no shadow early spring. As I always say, either way would be a bonus for us here in Montreal and eastern Ontario. If winter ended in six weeks that would be about 4 weeks ahead of normal!

Click WILLIE or PHIL to follow along.

Arctic chill

Bundle up venturing anywhere out of doors for the next 24 hours. It is currently -18C in Montreal with a west wind at 28 gusting to 46 km/h and a windchill of -30C. Ottawa is even colder at -21C and a windchill of -33C. Some of the 6cm of snow that fell yesterday continues to blow around making travel icy and slow at best. Conditions will not improve today with cold temperatures and strong winds. The winds will ease a little tonight but it will be very cold down below -23C in many regions. Saturday will be sunny and cold before a milder Sunday in advance of another cold front approaching the region. Some light snow will occur again along that front before another shot of very cold air to begin next week. It looks like all of next week will be very chilly for early February. Wind chill warnings are posted in New York and Vermont today. There are no warnings on this side of the border but really we are splitting hairs. The criteria for dangerous wind chills is at or below -40C. But at -33C you are not going to know the difference, it is bloody cold out there!

Dangerous Windchills

Snow and blowing snow ushered in arctic cold this evening in Montreal. SB Pic

The temperature has been free falling since 4pm when it was a reasonably mild -4C to the current reading of -11C. It was roughly at that time that the arctic cold front crossed the Montreal region with heavy snow and winds approaching 70km/h. The sudden snow and low visibility sent numerous cars into ditches and caused a traffic nightmare for the evening rush hour. The snow added about 30 minutes to my commute. The snow is over and the cold is settling in on strong northwest winds that will gust over 50km/h for the next 24 hours at least. This, combined with the biting cold, down around -18C tonight and not much better than -16C on Friday, will produce wind chill values below -30C. Windchill warnings are in effect across large areas of eastern and central Ontario as well as portions of Quebec, New York and Vermont. The wind should ease by Saturday but it will remain very cold. The gusty winds are still producing blowing snow across open areas south and west of the metro region.

Snowsquall Warning

Heavy snow with blowing snow is occurring in the Montreal area as a sharp cold front crosses the city. The snow will reduce visibility and ice roads along with dropping temperatures through to 6pm.

Weather Warning

Arctic Boundary

Cold air is on our doorstep. The temperature currently is as warm as it will be for the next week or so. Radar is showing steady snow falling along a cold front moving across Ontario. Ahead of the front strong southwest winds are driving snow squalls off Lake Ontario and down the St. Lawrence Valley. The heaviest snow is falling in northern Jefferson and across St. Lawrence County in New York and into eastern Ontario along the 401 corridor from Kingston to Cornwall. Look for 15-25cm in those regions with a general 5-10cm in all other areas today. If you are traveling along the 401 today expect periods of snow, heavy at times with lots of blowing snow and reduced visibilities. Winter Weather Advisories and Special Weather Statements are posted for those areas. Locally the light snow will pick up and become quite heavy with the frontal passage, before tapering to flurries late tonight. Winds will increase as well out of the southwest and then back to the northwest tonight at speeds from 40-60km/h. The combination of falling and blowing snow will make travel poor this afternoon into early this evening. Once the front passes the temperature will fall to -16C overnight and remain nearly steady on Friday. Skies will eventually clear Friday but winds will make it very cold with wind chills approaching -30C across southwest Quebec and eastern Ontario. It will be a sunny and cold weekend.

Colder Weather

Our mild spell is just about over. Cold arctic air pooling over the central part of the country will slide across the Great Lakes and into Quebec by late Thursday. A shot of steady snow along the arctic boundary will cross the area during the daylight hours Thursday, with a general 5-10cm of snow along with gusty southwest winds and blowing snow. Behind the front, temperatures will plunge to -20C in Montreal and Ottawa by Friday night and "warm" only to -14C for Saturday.

Meanwhile to our south from Arizona to Tennessee and especially Oklahoma and Arkansas, a strong winter storm will tap into the arctic air and Gulf of Mexico moisture, and produce a major winter storm across that area. FEMA is already sending supplies and generators into Oklahoma in anticipation of heavy accumulations of ice. They are expecting power outages that could last several days. Watches and warnings have been posted.

January Thaw

Flooding in Buffalo, NY. Photo D.Gee, Buffalo News

Record breaking rainfall has changed to light snow this morning in Montreal as temperatures hover near the freezing point. Radar is showing a wide swath of light snow on the backside of Monday's powerful storm, across the Ottawa Valley, eastern Ontario and into Quebec. The snow should continue for most of the morning hours with gusty northwest winds. It is considerably colder this morning at 0C down from yesterday's high of 8C in Montreal. Heavy rain set records across the region with 32mm in Montreal, 38mm in Kemptville and 41mm in Ottawa. That amount in Ottawa broke a record for the 24 hour period set back in 1995 with 33.6mm. The moisture laden storm is now moving across Atlantic Canada and off the east coast.

Heavy rain also fell across most of Ontario and into New York and Vermont. Many localities recorded over 50mm including Buffalo and Trenton. There were numerous reports of flooding of underpasses and highways and along area rivers. There was even a mudslide in Montreal along St. Jacques Street West closing two lanes of the roadway. Rivers and streams will have to be closely monitored for the next several days. Remember that all ice is extremely unsafe and unstable at this time.

The balance of the week will feature a return to winter weather with periods of light snow and much colder weather into Thursday before high pressure clears us out for a cold and sunny Friday and Saturday.

Heavy Rain

Radar this morning is showing very heavy rain across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. The rain will continue all day before tapering to a few showers this evening and eventually flurries overnight. Temperatures are very mild today already well above freezing in Montreal and points south and west. Very little freezing rain occurred locally, however it has been falling all night in Quebec City, and Highway 20 remains very poor in that area. Quebec City is still below freezing at 8am. Keep in mind that heavy rain warnings and flood advisories are in effect for our entire area from Ottawa to Montreal and south into New York and Vermont. Expect total rainfall amounts of 25-50mm or 1 to 2 inches of rain by the time in ends this evening.

On the cold side of the storm heavy snow and strong winds continue across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Blizzard Warnings remain posted with travel not recommended. The visibility in Regina has only come up and over 1km in the last few hours after being under a kilometer for over 20 hours. Winds gusted over 80km/h with blowing and flailing snow as well as dropping temperatures. Power was out to thousands of homes with SaskPower unable to reach the hardest hit areas due to closed roads. Nearly 20 highways were closed at the height of the storm including the Trans Canada between Regina and Rush Lake. I have driven that road often, it is wide open and very dangerous with any wind and snow. Highway 11 was also closed northwest to Davidson. Conditions will very slowly improve in Saskatchewan today while remaining poor in Manitoba. There were several major accidents and fatalities on roadways this past weekend.

Rain moving in

Cirrus clouds veil the sun just west of Ingleside, Ontario along the frozen St. Lawrence Seaway this afternoon. Freezing rain is moving into the area at this time. This chip wagon is begging for some sun and warmth, and I could have used a fry!

Radar is showing the leading edge of precipitation currently moving along a line from Ottawa to Kingston as it presses northeast. I expect the precipitation to move into Montreal by 10pm. Temperatures are still below freezing from Brockville northeast towards Ottawa and Montreal and points north. Freezing rain will occur at the onset and deposit 2-4mm of ice before the changeover to steady rain occurs. Between 30-50mm of rain is possible in Montreal and most of southern Quebec into New York and Vermont. Heavy Rain Warnings are in effect along with Freezing Rain Warnings for Ottawa, Cornwall and the Laurentians north of Montreal. A Flood Watch is posted for all of northern NY and Vermont. Winds will increase as well and reach speeds of 50-70km/h overnight first out of the east, then the south. It will warm to 7C by Monday morning. Travel with great care this evening especially north and east of Montreal.

Heavy Rain Warning

Warnings stretch from west to east today as a reult an intense Colorado low

Strong low pressure will move from Colorado northeast across the central Great Lakes and towards central Quebec Monday. A warm front associated with this storm will move north across the St. Lawrence Valley tonight. Along this front heavy precipitation and very strong south winds will develop. The rain may begin as a brief period of freezing rain in Montreal but I expect it will rapidly change to rain. The rain will continue across our region well into Monday with 30-50mm (1 to 2 inches) forecast. There are some concerns about local flooding along area lakes and rivers as snow melt and the precipitation will cause water to rise. Stay of the ice.

Environment Canada has issued a Heavy Rain Warning for southern Quebec as well as a Freezing Rain Warning for areas north of the city across the Laurentians. Freezing rain is also expected in the Ottawa Valley and near Cornwall. From 2-6 hours of frozen precip is expected with some icing possible especially near Ottawa. The freezing rain should begin by late afternoon today.

South of the border in upstate New York and Vermont a flood watch has bee posted for the same hydrological concerns related to the 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. In addition to the rain, strong winds will gust from 50 to 80km/h across the entire region.

The storm is affecting a wide area from the Prairies east to Quebec and eventually into Atlantic Canada. Heavy snow and fierce winds are producing blizzard conditions this morning in Saskatchewan, and these will spread into Manitoba, with 15-30cm of snow expected.

Weekend Update

LA Times photo of a fire vehicle stuck in a mudslide. Below: Heavy mountain snows have closed roads across Arizona and northern California.

I am trying to make it through January. I find this the most difficult month of the year, dark and cold. Christmas has passed and baseball is oh so far away, but a least the sun will be out today. Low clouds prevailed yesterday delaying my promise of sunshine by one day. It will be out today across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. Temperatures are chilly this morning but near normal. The high temperature today will be around -4C. The weekend will feature a sunny Saturday and an equally fair Sunday before that big Pacific storm moves into the region.


That storm hit Arizona and California hard yesterday. The third in a series of coastal lows dumped feet of snow in the mountains and over 10 inches of rain in the valley's around Los Angeles. There were numerous mudslides and flooding reported. Heavy mountain snows clogged roads and towering waves destroyed some coastal building and piers. There was even more tornadoes sighted along the coast, a very rare event for California. That storm will slide across the central plains and towards the central Great Lakes. Heavy snow and some freezing rain will prevail from Colorado north into southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Freezing drizzle is already icing roads this morning, and 10-20cm of snow is forecast across southern portion of those provinces with gusty winds producing near blizzard conditions over the weekend.

As the storm moves west of our region, warm air will push north with it and with mostly rain in Montreal and Ottawa. The precipitation will begin late Sunday as a little light wet snow but rapidly change to rain into Monday. From 15-25mm of rain is possible, so we will have to watch for ice jam potentials or flooding issues across the region.

I will update this weather event on Saturday. Enjoy the weekend and be safe.
Please keep the people of Haiti in your thought and prayers and donate if you can. The link to the Red Cross on the upper left is active.

Sunshine on the way

Heavy rain and snow caused mudslides,
power failures and evacuations in California. AP Photo

High pressure will bring us a steady period of sunny and cool weather from Thursday through Saturday. We have one more day left of low clouds, fog, flurries and some freezing drizzle today as a low pressure trough moves east of our region. Temperatures will be mild again today near 0C and slightly cooler through the weekend, but still above normal. Our next storm system will move from the California coast into the Great lakes on Sunday. Strong south winds ahead of the storm should push temperatures above freezing late Sunday with snow changing to rain across the region. Early estimates are for 15-25mm of precipitation with strong winds. This system bears watching for any possible change in track and precipitation type.

California is being walloped by three major storms this week. The third one has been a doozie with high surf and winds over 100mph. Heavy precipitation has caused flooding and mudslides with copious amounts of snow in the inland mountains of the southwest. Evacuations have been ordered as a result of flooding and many roads have been closed. Power outages have spread across the LA area and inland. There was even a brief and rare tornado yesterday afternoon along the coast southwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Typical El Nino pattern

We are really starting to see an El Nino pattern develop across North America. El Nino is (in a very simple explanation) the abnormal warming of the Pacific Ocean waters along the South American coast. It develops in varying intensities over the years and can greatly affect the weather patterns around the world. In Canada it basically means a more mild and zonal weather pattern with the cold air remaining far to our north and the storm track far to our south. A typical January with El Nino in Montreal is mild, dull with little sunshine and lots of moist air creating freezing rain, drizzle or light snow...check, check and check.

El Nino patterns also deliver punishing storms to the California coast. Such will be the case this week as a series of storms will produce significant weather in that state. Read about the amazing weather that is expected HERE.

More freezing drizzle

Low pressure moving off the New England Coast, combined with a trough over southern Quebec, is producing a moist northeast flow down the St. Lawrence Valley this morning. This flow is producing drizzle that is freezing on contact with the cold surface. This cold air has been in place in Montreal for the last 24 hours. Yesterday the mild air made it no further than the US border, at one point there was a 10 degree difference between Burlington, Vermont and Montreal. The cold air will be very difficult to move out of valley locations and I expect the freezing drizzle to continue until it changes to light snow this afternoon as the air cools aloft. The precipitation has caused very icy roads again across southwest Quebec and into eastern Ontario with numerous accidents reported. Many road crews were caught off guard as there was no mention of this in yesterday's forecast. We awoke this morning to a late issued weather warning from Environment Canada and the freezing drizzle. Unlike Friday morning I remained on my feet today!

Please remember to give to the Haiti relief effort. Use the link on the upper left. It just takes a few seconds to do, and your donation is being match by the Canadian federal government.

Icy start

Making the roads safe in Beaconsfield this morning. SB Pic

With the temperature above freezing, or so I thought (at least on my thermometer), I stepped out onto my driveway and swoosh or more like a bang, down I went. It seems that light drizzle is freezing on pavement this morning with the area just at the ground level still below the 0C point. The very thin layer of ice is making it very dangerous walking and driving as well. Numerous accidents were reported along the 15 north of Montreal. The drizzle should ease later today as the temperature nudges above freezing in all areas. The weekend will remain damp and unsettled but mild. Light drizzle, fog or even a few flurries is possible at any time. I don't expect much sunshine.

The federal government in Canada will match all donations to the Red Cross and other organizations for Haiti quake relief. Please give today. Use the link on the upper left.

Freezing Drizzle

The mild southwest flow that has begun to move into our region is encountering cold air at the surface in the St. Lawrence Valley. Cold air is very stubborn and heavy to move out. As a result some freezing drizzle can be expected today into this evening across Montreal and eastern Ontario. While it won't amount to much, all it takes is a couple of millimetres to make roads slick. Otherwise look for much milder temperatures into this weekend with daytime highs close to 0C.
I am watching a developing storm over the Gulf of Mexico that is forecast to move to Cape Hatteras by Sunday. Models disagree after that with once scenario taking it out to sea well south of New England while the other has it coming close to Cape Cod. The system will have to be watched for track and development but at this time we expect just flurries on Sunday.

Please keep the people of Haiti and the responding relief and rescue workers in your thoughts and prayers. Use the link on the upper left to make a much needed donation to the Red Cross or any other major relief agency.

Haitian Quake

Haiti will need all our help after a 7.0 earthquake caused major damage and loss of life.

A major 7.0 earthquake has shattered the island nation of Haiti leaving unimaginable devastation and loss of life. The quake struck around 5pm Tuesday evening with most buildings collapsing in the capital city Port Au Prince. A least 30 police officers from Montreal are among those unaccounted for at this hour. Relief efforts are just beginning, and details are limited with most communications down.

More information on how you can help can be found HERE

While information on the science of this monster quake can be found HERE

January Thaw?

Could our January thaw be in sight? It will be cold today, with temperature staying very close to where they are now (-12C). Skies will clear out slowly and it it will be a frigid night with low temperatures in the region around -20C. That will be the last arctic night for some time. Patterns are beginning to change to a more typical El Nino winter. Mild pacific air is establishing itself across the west, and that will move rapidly eastward into the Midwest and eventually the east coast. The main storm track will remain well to our south from California towards the Carolinas and out to sea. This will likely mean a warming trend beginning tomorrow and lasting well into next week. As a matter of fact we should go above freezing by Friday. This would be the first day above 0C since Boxing Day and prior to that late November. A few snow showers will occur tomorrow with the arrival of the warmer air.

Next week is looking quite mild as well with more above freezing weather expected. Over the weekend here in the Montreal region two snowmobilers, a father and his young son drowned in the Lake of Two Mountains after they went through the ice late Sunday. Remember please stay off area lakes and rivers. The ice is very changeable this winter with a late and fast freeze with lots of snow and now milder weather coming. This was not a good scenario for thick, hard ice. Play it safe and stay on marked trails or off the water all together. More safety information can be found at this like HERE.

A few flurries

The weather appears to be settling down somewhat across North America with a moderation in temperatures and no big storms around. A couple of very weak frontal systems will give Ontario and Quebec a few flurries today and again Wednesday. The system on Wednesday may have a very brief period of steady snow. Otherwise conditions look a touch milder than last week, but it will remain below freezing. The harsh cold that has gripped the deep southern US will begin to ease this week. The cold sent subzero readings all the way into Florida. The freeze caused millions in losses in agriculture. It was cold enough for sleet and snow in Daytona Beach on Saturday morning. This morning another hard freeze is occurring in central and northern Florida. Jacksonville has the same temperature as Montreal this hour, both at -5C. Daytona Beach is -1C. Temperatures should begin to moderate this week, but not before one more night below freezing tonight. The cold and ice has also caused hundreds of accidents across the south and Midwest and is responsible for at least nine deaths.

Sunshine returns

An Alberta Clipper is sliding eastward across the Great Lakes and just south of our regions today. Most of the steady snow will remain south of the border, however we could see a centimetre or two during the day. This system will be followed by high pressure with cold temperatures beginning tonight. Overnight lows across the area will be close to -18C and it will only warm to around -11C on Saturday. It will warm up a little on Sunday. Conditions will be dry for most of the upcoming week with seasonable temperatures.

January blues

Above: This was a gift at Christmas titled "Fenway Blues" so true.
Below: My favorite puppy models here latest outfit. I don't think she is too impressed!

For someone who loves sunshine and plus 27C weather, I find the cold, short and dark days of January so difficult. I long for Red Sox baseball, shorts, bike rides and mowing the lawn over shoveling snow. But in a cruel twist of fate here in Quebec, and the rest of Canada we begin our coldest, darkest time of the year with no holidays in sight until Easter! We need a February holiday like they have in Ontario now. Anyway what can you do...that is life up north. At least we have the Olympics and my hopes for gold in hockey *not silver - no pressure at all!

It remains cloudy in our region due to that big low pressure area over the north Atlantic. The storm will continue to send moist unstable air down the St. Lawrence Valley producing more light snow in spots and perhaps a shot or two of freezing drizzle. Steady freezing drizzle during last nights rush hour here in Montreal, made the drive home a little challenging. The storm total by the way for the weekend system was 24.5cm for Montreal. We could see another 1 or 2cm over the next 24 to 36 hours, with a slight chance of 1 or 2cm on Friday.

The balance of the week will be damp and chilly with sunshine finally by Saturday. It will turn colder over the weekend, but the sun will be most welcome. Daytime highs of -2 to -5C will drop to -7 to -11C by the weekend.

Bizzaro Storm

Burlington Free Press photo of the record snowstorm being cleared up this Sunday.

It has been a very interesting 24 hours with this major coastal storm. The western edge of the precipitation has been falling quite steady in Montreal for about 24 hours with over 20cm in the region. This storm has produced heavy snow in some very odd places with very little elsewhere. Here are just a few anomalies with this storm. In Burlington, Vermont, over 32 inches (77cm) of snow has fallen, making it the biggest snowstorm in that city in 120 years of weather records. The previous record was 29.8 inches in December 1969. Meanwhile just a few exits down Interstate 89 in Stowe they have received only 4 inches. Plattsburgh, New York just a stones throw across Lake Champlain had only 6 inches. Meanwhile in our region, normally frigid Quebec City went above freezing at 3am last night and stayed there most of the day. They went from -1C to 4C in less than one hour with snow changing to rain. Meanwhile we did no better than -5C and Drummondville just down the 20 from Quebec City was -8C while Quebec City was at plus 4C. Other storm stats: Yarmouth, Nova Scotia had 33cm of snow, and Woodstock, Nova Scotia 45cm. In the wind department, Grand Etang, NS had 163km/h winds, Quebec City 107km/h winds and Montreal gusts of wind in the 50km/h range with the lowest pressure recorded at 997mb. It is still snowing lightly in Montreal, but winds have eased somewhat and visibilities are on the rise.

Storm update

Low visibility and snow covered roads along the St. Lawrence River in Verdun today.

This is the latest information available on tonight's snowstorm. A heavy snowfall warning is now in effect for all of the areas just south of metro Montreal including Vaudreuil, the South Shore and east into the Townships. Winter Storm Warnings remain posted for New York and Vermont. Heavy snow is moving west towards the regions at this hour. Look for the light snow that has been falling all day (a good 5cm worth added to yesterday's 5-7cm) will intensify tonight and continue into Sunday. A total of 15-30cm is possible in Quebec with 25-40cm over New England. Winds have been increasing as well and will gust out of the north at 30-50km/h causing blowing snow. The blowing snow has already been occurring in Montreal with visibilities down to under 2km at times. Another factor has been the dropping temperatures. Montreal was at -4C at midnight, and that was our high. We are currently at -11C with a windchill of -20C. Travel will become poor across the area tonight with near blizzard conditions expected in Vermont. Some milder air will try to make it into the area later tonight. I am not certain that will happen, but time will tell. Travel with great care tonight or even better stay in and have pizza and a cold beer like we are!

Winter Storm Update

Heavy Snowfall Warning: Sherbrooke, Townships, areas south of the St. Lawrence Valley
Winter Storm Warning: Vermont and northern New York counties

Low pressure has finally developed off the southern coast of New England and is slowly moving west towards Maine. This system will be enhanced by a second area of low pressure in the upper atmosphere and become quite intense later today and tonight. Models have it as low as 970mb. The forecast has been very hard to nail down with this system because it is breaking some of the usual rules. The result of the storm moving west will be increasing deep Atlantic moisture across all of our area including eastern Ontario, Quebec and south into New England and New York. Radar is already showing a shift in precipitation, now coming from the northeast to the southwest. I believe any warm air as depicted in the Environment Canada forecast will stay well east of our area. As a matter of fact we are currently -6C here on Ile Perrot, down several degrees from this morning. In addition the snow and wind have been picking up. It will continue to do so for the balance of the day and Sunday. Total storm accumulations will be 25 to 35cm for New England, 20-30cm for the regions south of the St. Lawrence Valley and 15-20cm for all other regions. While no warnings are posted for Montreal, the weather will make travel difficult later today and especially tonight.

Closer to the center of the low, heavy precipitation, fierce winds and a storm surge are affecting coastal Maine and Nova Scotia. Heavy snow is falling inland in New Brunswick and PEI and over the Gaspe. Winds are expected over 150km/h at Cape Breton.

Happy 2010

Above: Cleaning the snow on Ile Perrot today.

Below: AP Photo of the NHL Winter Classic at Fenway Park in Boston.

Happy New Year...year 6 of my weather blog and year 31 of keeping weather data is underway.

Today was quite snowy across the region with a good 4 to 7cm accumulating here on Ile Perrot. The snow was very light and fluffy. The reason for this snow is a low pressure trough draped across the region. The main pulse of energy will move off the New England coast tonight and join forces with a developing storm east of Maine. This low pressure area will retrograde into the Gulf of Maine on Saturday before moving back east out to sea. The result will be steady snow late Saturday into Sunday morning. Winter Storm Watches have been hoisted for Vermont and all of upstate New York including the counties bordering our regions. No watches on this side of the border at this time. It appears the snow will remain light but steady for Montreal. By the time the weekend ends a good 15-30cm will accumulate across the area. Winds will pick up as well gusting to 50km/h especially in the Quebec City region. Travel may become difficult late Saturday in snow and blowing snow.

This has been a very changeable forecast and a storm that has not followed any of the rules, so things may still change yet. We should know more by tomorrow morning.

• The NHL Winter Classic was played at historic Fenway Park in Boston today. Despite predictions of stormy weather, it remained calm and mild during the game with near perfect conditions. Over 38,000 fans watched the Bruins beat the Flyers 2-1 in overtime. It was quite the event to watch at the old ballpark.

SNOW

Simply put it will snow all weekend. Radar shows light snow over Eastern Ontario spreading into western Quebec at this hour of 8pm EST. This snow will taper Friday before another shot begins to wrap around a deepening storm near Cape Cod overnight into Saturday. That snow will become steady across the region especially south and east of Montreal. I think most regions of southern Quebec, New England and extreme eastern Ontario will see between 15 and 30cm by the time Monday rolls around. There may even be more at higher elevations. In addition to the snow winds will begin to increase out of the north on Saturday causing blowing snow. It appears that all forecasts are on track now keeping the mild maratime air well to our east meaning the precipitation will stay as snow. Travel safely...Happy New Year....

I may try to squeeze one more post in later on this evening before the bell tolls midnight. Thank you all again for reading. I have had over 37,000 hits this year. It means so much to me to share my passion for weather with all of you.
Be good, be safe... Stephen B.