The 23 mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel connects the Eastern Shore to Virginia Beach crossing the Chesapeake Bay where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Just an awesome driving experience!

What a spectacular morning and weather week in southern Quebec. Temperatures are warming quickly from an overnight low of 6C to the current reading of 19C. This week will be sunny and warm as high pressure dominates the St. Lawrence Valley. A low pressure and frontal system will remain south of Ontario and Quebec. Temperatures will warm to 27C by weeks end.

I am finally back where I belong, Hatteras Island, North Carolina. This is my 11th trip down here over the last 19 years, the first since 2007. The region is part of a delicate narrow band of barrier islands extending from the Virginia border south to South Carolina. The main Outer Banks consists of three islands, Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke. I am on the middle island, in the Village of Hatteras just south of the famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The banks have been shaped by wind and water, with the region rich in maritime and weather history, right up my alley. We are tangling with a stationary front these days, so scattered thunderstorms, some severe and humid with temperatures near 75F or 24C, just perfect for me. The beach was beautiful this morning, but much shorter than I remember it in 2007. Several major storms have passed off the Outer Banks in the last year causing heavy beach erosion. I will have some photos at the end of today.

Hello from Maryland

Well I am finally into the 21st century and blogging on a new laptop on the road. I am in Pocomoke City on Maryland's eastern shore for the night as I head south to North Carolina and Hatteras Island for some much needed R & R and to re-energize. I drove a little over 1000 kilometres today under sunny skies and quite warm temperatures once we drove into Delaware and Maryland.

Last night a gusty potent little thunderstorm went through Montreal at midnight with lots of thunder and vivid lightning and about 7mm of rain. This morning winds were gusty and it was quite chilly when I left at 5am. Today while driving in sunshine and increasingly warmer temperatures it was about 17C in Montreal. By the way on a non-weather rant, I can't believe how much fun it is to drive in New Jersey. It is probably the only place where a Quebec driver going 75mph can be passed by everyone other car. Crazy!

Anyway I hope to post some pictures over the next week or so, once I get a USB cord for the digital. In the meantime be good and enjoy the increasing sunshine and warmth in Montreal as I head towards the May long weekend.

Cool May weather continues

Sorry folks...at times life gets in the way of weather. In the case of this week, upcoming vacation and silliness at work have prevented me from blogging as much. Throw in a little thing called the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and well I have been busy. GO HABS GO! My allegiance to this team has been very clear since the day I was born in Montreal to parents who were Canadiens fans. You are born and slapped on the but and told Montreal good, Toronto bad. It stays with you.

Anyway back to the weather. It has been a rather traquil week with scattered frost across the area. I had a little on the roof of my car this morning on Ile Perrot southwest of downtown Montreal. The sunshine will warm us up to about 17C today. A week frontal boundary will provide us with some showers Friday and early Saturday before a sunny and cool day Sunday. It appears the warmer weather will try to make a run at the region early next week. We may see a 22 or 25C day by Wednesday.

Frost Warning

It was not a snowstorm, but snow on May 9th was not a welcome sight. About 0.2cm fell at the airport with as much as 1cm off island. The temperature recovered slightly Sunday to a balmy 5C but fell just below freezing this morning. A light breeze kept away any frost but such will not be the case tonight. Under clear skies and calm winds we can expect lows below freezing with frost and freeze warnings in effect across the region including Montreal, Ottawa and south into New York and New England. Cover up any flowers or tender vegetation and say goodbye to your tulips! A slow warming trend is expected for the balance of the week.

Snow on Mother's Day

Above: Snow is falling in Montreal this morning. ValleyWX

Happy Mother's Day

What a spring it has been across this great country of ours. The mercury is on a roller coaster that has witnessed 27C weather on Easter back at the start of April, followed by a record April snowstorm with more snow than the previous 2 months combined, followed by 30C humid heat last Sunday and finally snow this morning. It is currently 1C in both Montreal and Ottawa with snow and a gusty northwest wind to 40km/h making it feel raw and chilly outside. That big storm that produced blizzard conditions in Alberta and severe weather stateside is sweeping east of Montreal today. In the last 24 hours, the storm produced high winds of over 100km/h with widespread damage in Ontario, and enough snow to close Highway 117 in central Quebec as well as a record breaking 7cm snowfall in North Bay. This morning, radar is showing the back edge of the precipitation has changed to snow. As you can see above it is coating the car but not much else on Ile Perrot. Our tulips are taking a beating and look ready to give up. A frost warning is in effect for the suburbs of Montreal for tonight with low temperatures expected below freezing for several hours. Winds and light scattered precipitation will continue for today across the region.

Weekend Update

A strong cold front swept into Montreal yesterday morning producing several lines of thunderstorms, strong winds and hail. A peak gust of 80km/h was reported at Dorval during a thunderstorm at 11am. This morning clearing skies and much cooler temperatures are left behind the departing front. The weekend forecast is not looking so good at the moment. That storm that affected western Canada with heavy snow is expected to sweep across the Great Lakes and into Quebec. Steady rain, between 20-40mm is forecast for Ontario and Quebec with some thunderstorms as well. Heavy May snow is expected in northern Ontario. There is even the risk of some flurries on Sunday in our region at higher elevations. Behind the storm strong west winds will develop and gust between 60-100km/h along with very cold weather for Mother's Day with high temperatures struggling to hit 7C on Sunday in Montreal. It will remain chilly well into the upcoming week.

May Blizzard

The Yellowhead Highway in Edmonton yesterday. (Edmonton Journal Photo)

As Montreal basked in summer warmth with thunderstorms, Alberta was being hit by the second spring blizzard in as many weeks. Nearly 16cm of snow surprised Edmonton yesterday with fierce winds. The storm was expected to affect mostly the southern portion of the province, but a heavy band of wet snow set up over the city. Amounts ranged from 7cm in Spruce Grove to 16cm on the east side of town. The strong winds created havoc on area highways with reduced visibility. Winds were gusting over 60km/h in Edmonton and as high as 113km/h in Onefor. Snow continues today in the southeast part of the province and into southwest Saskatchewan and northern Montana. The storm also delayed flights in Calgary and Edmonton and cut power to over 15,000 hydro customers.

Meanwhile eastern Ontario and Montreal had temperatures over 20C yesterday with thunderstorms. Some storms in Ontario became severe with gusty winds over 80km/h and small hail. Today will be sunny and 22C with more showers by weeks end. The Mother's Day weekend, sorry to say, looks rainy, windy and cold as the western system moves east.

More snow for Calgary

The latest spring snowstorm is sweeping across the northern Rockies with heavy snow across southern Alberta and extreme southwest Saskatchewan. Winter storm warnings are in effect with 10-15cm of wet snow forecast from the foothills southeast into the Cypress Hills. Winds are a big problem with this system and have been gusting over 100km/h in Alberta, Montana and the Dakotas. A gust to 106km/h was reported this morning at Bassano in Alberta and 85km/h at Calgary.

On the east side of the storm more warm and muggy air will feed thunderstorms across the Midwest. In our region another cold front is producing showers and thunderstorms today with the biggest threat being heavy downpours and perhaps small hail. A gusty storm went through the Montreal region at around 7am this morning with strong winds.

Tropical air mass

AP Photo of severe flash flooding in Nashville Saturday.

It is hard to believe we had a humidex reading of 30C and and overnight low of 19C in Montreal during the same week we had a snowstorm, but hey here we are. Yesterday was very muggy across the eastern two thirds of North America as a steady stream of humid air poured northward. Montreal reached 26C but it was much warmer in Vermont and New York with temperatures approaching 30C. The warmest place in the US over the weekend was Norfolk, VA at 36C. The same areas that had 2 feet of snow on Tuesday were over 80F yesterday. This morning numerous showers and thunderstorms are around the St. Lawrence Valley as a cold front approaches from the west. The front will move the humid air off to the south and east and clearing skies will ensue with winds increasing out of the northwest from 30-50km/h.

Over the weekend this same air mass produced unprecedented flooding across the southern sates including Tennessee where nearly 8 inches of rain produced severe flooding in Nashville closing Interstates and washing away cars, homes and people. The death toll is at 15 from the weekend storms including several deaths in Arkansas from tornadoes and sever thunderstorms. The heavy storms are along the Gulf Coast today from Louisiana to Florida and Georgia. The storms along the Gulf Coast are hampering the US Coast Guard in clean up efforts (see National Geographic photo above) in one of the worst oil spills in US history. Millions of litres of oil are spreading north from an uncapped British Petro (BP) oil well in the Gulf of Mexico towards the Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coasts. Already marine life is washing up along the shores and fishing has been suspended for at least the next 10 days. Rough seas and storms over the weekend made it difficult to set up booms and skim the oil off the surface of the Gulf.

Weekend Update

A few photos I took above of the snowstorm this week. Below is a picture from Vermont where over 50cm fell in the mountains.

Only in Canada could you go from 20C weather on Monday, a snowstorm on Tuesday, 20C weather by Friday and thunderstorms and 24C by Sunday. What a weather week. Power was slowly being restored across Vermont, NY and southern Quebec after the record setting snowstorm that saw nearly 2 feet of snow fall across some regions. Montreal had 7cm which melted by the end of the day on Wednesday. Another strong low pressure area is moving across Montana and the northern plains and into Ontario. A warm front will generate some showers this evening in the region followed by a partly sunny and warm Saturday and Sunday. The trialling cold front will sweep the Montreal area late Sunday with showers and thunderstorms. Severe weather is expected again this weekend in the plains and southern states. Meanwhile this storm delivered a powerful snow event to Alberta with heavy snow and winds gusting to over 100km/h in the southern half of the province. As much as 70cm fell in the foothills with about 10cm in Calgary. Numerous roads were closed and flights delayed.

Awesome win by the Habs, I through in this Aislin cartoon from Thursday's Montreal Gazette into the mix. They begin the next round against Pittsburgh tonight after defeating Washington in 7 games.

Storm totals

The intense low pressure area that moved from Boston into Maine yesterday, produced a major storm across the entire region. Snowfall amounts of 7cm were recorded at Dorval, a record for the date. The total precipitation was 36mm at the airport and 38mm at my place, that is nearly 1.5 inches of water equivalent. The snow depth varied on the island with over 10cm in the central part of the city near the mountain with lesser amounts off island on Ile Perrot. South of the city was a different story. Snow accumulated 10 to as much as 30cm near Granby and St Jean. The snow produced 2 fatal accidents on area roads as well as downed trees and power lines. Power is out this morning to nearly 35,000 Hydro Quebec customers with nearly the same amount out south of the border in Vermont and New York. Warnings remain in effect from the Townships into Vermont and New York with storm totals of 20 to 40cm expected.

For the record, the latest storm in Montreal was 21.8cm on May 10, 1963 with the latest measurable snow May 17, 1959 when 1.8cm was observed.

Skies should clear later today with the mercury reaching 11C and melting the snow here in the city. It may take a day or so elsewhere. Drive with care today especially south and east of the city.

Late season snowstorm

Hockey weather in late April in Montreal today with a record breaking 10cm snowfall.

I hate to use the term surprise when it comes to weather, but really this one caught me off guard. In a winter that has measured little in the way of snowfall, we managed to accumulate, in Montreal, on April 27, more today than the last two months combined. Over 10cm has fallen in many regions around the city. It varies greatly with elevation and surface. For most of the day the steady snow and gusty winds managed to keep visibilities under 1km across the southern half of the province. The low pressure responsible for this storm is near Cape Cod with and upper level feature spinning across the Champlain Valley. Temperatures have been just cold enough for the snow. By the time the precipitation tapers off most areas will have recorded 10-20cm of wet snow with over 30cm expected across the Townships, Green Mountains and Adirondacks with Jay Peak expecting nearly 2 feet. There is concern that the gusty winds and heavy wet snow may take down some power lines and trees limbs across the upper elevations. So far here in Montreal, it is the early spring flowers that have taken the hit. Warnings remain in effect for southern Quebec south and east of Montreal and for upstate New York and northern Vermont.

SNOW

Despite our warm spring snow is falling this morning in Montreal.

Heavy snowfall warnings are in effect this morning for the regions just east and south of Montreal including the Richelieu Valley, Townships, Beauce and Quebec City area. Wet snow has been falling across the area this morning and even in Montreal. Accumulations could be in the order of 10-20cm at elevations above 500 feet and just a slushy coating here in the city and on the valley floor. Winds have been gusting out of the northeast at 30 to 50km/h with a gust to 58km/h at Dorval overnight. Low pressure off the eastern seaboard will slowly move northeast today with cold winds and wrap around moisture producing wet snow right into the overnight period. Yesterday Montreal reached a high of 17C but we have dropped all the way down to just above freezing at 1C this morning. Light snow is also falling across Eastern Ontario including Ottawa. Precipitation should taper off this afternoon in Ontario.

South of Montreal Winter Weather Advisories are posted for the Champlain Valley in Vermont and NY, and St. Lawrence Valley of New York for 5-15cm of snow. Winter storm warnings are in effect for the Adirondacks and Green Mountains for up to 25cm. Places affected by poor travel today will include Plattsburgh, Malone, the Tri-Lakes, Stowe, Jay Peak, Newport and north towards Sherbrooke and Quebec City and the south shore of Montreal. Travel will be slippery with reduced visibilities on area highways, especially tonight. The combination of wind and wet snow may bring down power lines or tree limbs especially south and east of Montreal.

Snow in late April

Despite the fact it was 17C today and sunny, the entire region is expecting some wet snow over the next 24-36 hours. Winter Storm Warnings are in effect for the Eastern Townships, the Beauce and Quebec City regions for 5 to 20cm of wet snow beginning overnight. An upper level low will slide across the St. Lawrence Valley with moisture and very cold temperatures funneling into the region on strong northeast winds. The heaviest snow will fall at levels above 1000 feet, but indications are that we may even see a slushy accumulation at lower elevations including Montreal where it will be a blustery 4C tomorrow. The snow is also expected in the Adirondacks of NY and northern Green Mountains of Vermont with nearly 30cm expected by Wednesday morning with Winter Storm Watches currently in place. Winds will be gusty out of the northeast from 40-70km/h in the St. Lawrence Valley. A cold rain will mix with snow for most of the event at lower elevations. The system will move to our east by late Wednesday. If travelling east along Highway 10 or 20 or south into Vermont on Interstate 89 and especially 91, expect low visibility and slippery roads at higher elevations. More information on this developing storm will be posted late tonight.

Mississippi hit hard

Vehicles were swept off Interstate 55 in Mississippi from a tornado that cut a swath 1/2 mile wide and nearly 100 miles long across the state on Saturday. Below is a radar close up from Accu-Weather of the storm crossing I-55 in Mississippi.

Nearly 17 counties in the state of Mississippi have been declared disaster areas after a series of severe storms and tornadoes swept that state over the weekend. The storms were part of a strong spring low pressure area that spread rain and severe weather from the plains, Colorado and Texas across the lower Midwest and into the southeast, Mississippi and Alabama. The death toll is at 12 from the weekend including 10 in Mississippi. Hard hit Yazoo City, Miss, was flattened by an estimated F-4 tornado with winds in excess of 160mph. Over 600 buildings were destroyed including churches and brick buildings. Trees wee uprooted and flag poles bent over at 45 degree angles from the fierce winds. Cars and trucks were swept off Interstate 55 south of Vicksburg. The storms are affecting south Florida today from the Everglades east towards Miami.


SPRING SNOW
The same system is bringing showers to much of the middle Atlantic and Northeast. The low pressure is currently over Ohio and will move off the coast tonight while an associated upper level low spins into the Champlain Valley. The combination of these two systems will produce a cold northeast wind across the region tonight. As temperatures lower rain will develop and slowly mix with and change to wet snow over the higher elevations of the Townships and Vermont/New York. A winter storm watch has been posted for these regions with 10-30cm of heavy wet snow possible above 1000 feet. The NWS is estimating the heaviest snow to fall Tuesday night around Jay Peak, Vermont. Here in Montreal and the St. Lawrence Valley, a cold northeast wind will gust over 50km/h with showers changing to scattered wet flurries. No accumulation is expected in the Valleys. Snow fell over the weekend from Calgary east into southern Saskatchewan and North Dakota. This morning a snow/freezing rain mix is occurring in southeast Saskatchewan with warnings in place.

Weekend Update

From severestudios.com, a tornado near Goodnight, Texas yesterday.

A potent spring storm continues to sweep across the plains into the southern states today. This system was responsible for nearly 3 dozen tornadoes yesterday, primarily in Kansas, Colorado and Texas. The storms were impressive with heavy rain, hail and strong winds. While damage was reported, no serious injuries or fatalities were. The photo above is from a tornado near Goodnight in the Texas panhandle and was pulled from a dramatic video by storm chasers from SevereStudios.com. The entire video can be viewed HERE.

This system was expected to give us some rain by Sunday, but it now appears that high pressure will dominate the region with most of the activity passing well south of us into New York and Vermont. Overnight temperatures fell to the freezing point this morning with scattered frost. I had to scrape the car window on Ile Perrot to the southwest of Montreal this morning. As mentioned high pressure will give us clear cool nights and sunny warm days right into early next week. Some clouds and perhaps a stray shower may work into the border region with New York late Sunday.

The plains storm will continue to produce severe weather from Oklahoma and Texas east into Mississippi and Alabama today. More tornadoes are possible for the next 24-36 hours with this low and cold front. On the back side of the storm heavy snow, from 1 to 2 feet is forecast for the Colorado Rockies.

Happy Earth Day

NOAA Visible Satellite of our little corner of the planet at sunrise on this Earth Day.

Clouds are slowly decreasing this morning as the overnight shower activity moves southeast of Montreal. Daytime heating may result in an isolated shower later today, but it should be dry in most areas. Skies will clear out tonight and it will be chilly, close to the freezing mark in many regions away from the cities and water. Some frost may occur. Friday and Saturday will be sunny and dry with pleasant temperatures, before low pressure from the US Midwest pushes showers and cooler weather into the St. Lawrence Valley for Sunday into early next week.
EARTH DAY
Celebrate Earth Day today by doing some simple things to help the planet. Don't idle the car at the drive through, get out and go inside for your coffee. Shut the water off while you shave or brush your teeth, take shorter showers. Turn lights off when you leave a room and power down the computer at night. All simple things that if done on large numbers, will preserve our wonderful country and planet for future generations. Try it today and make it a habit.
Click here for more information: Earth Day!

More showers today

Despite Environment Canada's forecast for dry weather today, I believe the day will evolve the same way the previous two have. I expect the sunshine and warm temperatures for most of the day to generate showers and isolated thunderstorms across the region by late afternoon. These storms will be enhanced by a weak cold front later this evening with the risk of gusty winds in several of the storms, especially near the US border and into northern New York. Thursday will be cloudy with showers most of the day before clearing skies for a beautiful Friday and Saturday.
I am hoping to take my new lawnmower out for a test drive Saturday. It looks like an ideal day for any outdoor chores or activities. Temperatures will be slightly cooler but still above normal for April. Sunday looks showery at this time.

Record Highs
It's Alberta's turn for record high temperatures this week. Strong high pressure is pushing daytime highs into the mid-twenties as far north as the Yukon & NWT. At least a dozen record high temperatures were set yesterday including 26C at Grand Prairie and 24C at Edmonton. In the NWT, it was 20C in Yellowknife, 25C in Hay River and 12C for a record high all the way north in Inuvik.

A few thunderstorms

Despite the presence of high pressure across the region, a weak frontal trough set off some sprinkles and showers late Monday afternoon in Montreal. It was just enough to wet the rain gauge, far less than the 40mm or so that drenched the region Friday into Sunday. there was even snow reported in some areas south and east of the city with as much at 10cm falling in northern Vermont and southern Quebec near the Vermont border.

Skies are sunny this morning across eastern Ontario and Quebec with mild temperatures. It will be dry most of the day, but a weak cold front will combine with a slightly unstable air mass and daytime heating to generate more showers and isolated thunderstorms by late in the day. Skies will clear out this evening before the same scenario occurs on Wednesday with more showers and thunderstorms. Conditions should improve on Thursday.

Volcano Update:
Regarding the volcanic eruption on Iceland, some flights are beginning to take off in southern Europe, but it may be another day or so before Britain and northern Europe can begin scheduling flights. New eruptions today are threatening to expand the ash cloud once again. So far the predominately westerly winds have kept the ash from affecting eastern Canada. The cost of this eruption is being estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars a day with over 10,000 flights being canceled worldwide, including the transportation of perishable goods.

Volcanic ash moving west

Ash rising from this Iceland volcano continues to ground air travel in Europe causing a ripple effect around the globe. The economic impact will be significant. BBC Photo

The erupting volcano under the Eyjafjallajoekull Glacier in Iceland continues to send ash thousands of kilometres across the Atlantic into northern Europe. The ash has grounded air travel since last Wednesday forcing cancellation of over 4000 flights and stranding thousands of passengers. There are indications that the ash is now moving westward towards Canadian air space and Newfoundland. Low pressure in the north Atlantic is creating a northeast wind in Newfoundland carrying the ash towards that province. The exact impact is not clear at this time, however Environment Canada is closely monitoring the situation. Several flights to St. John's have already been cancelled. A special statement has been issued by Environment Canada HERE.

Weekend Weather

A warm front is lifting slowly north this morning across the St. Lawrence and Champlain Valley's. Montreal is at 5C with rain while Toronto is sunny and 16C. The precipitation has been steady all night with even a little light snow being reported in northern Vermont and New Hampshire and across the eastern Townships. The rain will taper off to showers this morning before the cold front associated with this system approaches the region later today. Showers and isolated thunderstorms are possible along the front especially in Ontario and upstate New York. An upper level low will drop across the region over the weekend with a prolonged period of showers and cool weather. This is a major change in the forecast from earlier in the week. Originally I believed the low would pull off to the east by today, but it has slowed considerably.

**This is an awesome video of a meteor shooting across the Midwestern sky last night. Check it out here at ACCUWEATHER.COM

Prairie spring storm

While sunny and seasonable weather is expected here in Ontario and Quebec, a big wet and windy storm over the central Rockies is forecast to move north into western Saskatchewan tonight and Wednesday. The track of the storm will split the province in two with mild air, strong south winds and even thunderstorms from Regina and Gravelbourg east and heavy snow and blizzard conditions in the southwest part of the province and along the Alberta border into the extreme eastern portion of that province. Heavy snow will develop tonight especially in the Cypress Hills and Shaunavon region. Look for 20-30cm of wet snow with increasing northerly winds to 70km/h. Rain and thunderstorms this morning will change to heavy wet snow on increasing north winds this afternoon in the southwest portion of Saskatchewan. Blizzard conditions are forecast along the Trans Canada Highway from east of Red Deer to west of Swift Current. Travel will likely become impossible overnight. East of that area heavy rain, up to 25mm will drench the southern grain belt into northern Montana and the Dakotas. All regions will see strong winds of 50 to 100km/h from this storm.

Sunny week

Just a quick update on this Monday morning. High pressure will provide most of Ontario and Quebec with a sunny and seasonable week with temperatures warming to above normal by Wednesday. Overnight temperatures will be near normal but chilly at 1C. The next threat for precipitation will come Friday as low pressure brings a cool rainy day before clearing skies for another sunny weekend.

Weekend Update

Showers are slowly coming to an end this morning in the Montreal region as low pressure and a trailing cold front move east of the city. Skies will break by mid-morning, but it will be windy and chilly with temperatures struggling to reach 10C. Tonight will be windy and cold with overnight temperatures near the freezing mark and even a few flurries in the air. Saturday will be windy once again with scattered showers, but some breaks in the cloud as well. Skies will finally clear Sunday with slightly milder air and a high near 14C.

Low pressure moving across western Saskatchewan is producing an area of steady snow today with 10-20cm forecast. The big story with this system is a trailing cold front that has a history of wind damage from southern BC across Alberta. Winds will howl out of the west in Saskatchewan at speeds of up to 100km/h. Wind warnings are in place across most of the southern and central parts of the province and into northern Montana. Blowing snow in the north and west and blowing dust in the south will make travel difficult at times with near blizzard conditions possible along the Yellowhead from the Battlefords to Lloydminster.

Yesterday 14cm of snow fell at Kirkland Lake in northern Ontario with 10cm in the Soo east to Sudbury.

Thunderstorms & SNOW

Heavy snow over Washington and Montana is now moving into Alberta and Saskatchewan. KOMOnews.com photo

The title of my blog entry this morning was fairly accurate as winter and spring wage a battle across many portions of Canada. Tonight heavy thunderstorms are moving across eastern Ontario into western Quebec. Thunderstorm Warnings have been posted for Lachute and St. Jerome. By 9pm these storms will be near metro Montreal. Heavy rain, 90km/h winds and reports of marble size hail have been observed with these storms in Prescott/Russell and Glengarry Counties in Ontario. Rain will continue overnight and into early Friday.

Meanwhile a strong cold front is moving across Alberta associated with low pressure near Red Dear. Winds are gusting to 100km/h across the southern Rockies and into Saskatchewan. Steady rain has turned to snow in many parts of Alberta and the snow will spread into Saskatchewan. Calgary is reporting near zero visibility in snow with winds of 95km/h. Portions of the central grain belt could see 15cm of snow. Heavy wet snow is also falling in northern Ontario and in northern Michigan. Over 10cm of wet snow fell today in Sudbury where it was over 27C just days ago.

Dueling Seasons

Despite the heavy snow this winter, record heat is producing a serious fire threat across portions of the northeast including New Jersey - shown above yesterday, where temperatures were in the upper 80's.

There is lots to talk about this morning, and I will try to maintain some order, rather than my usual routine of being all over the place. Lets start with yesterday and that line of thunderstorms that raced through Montreal around 8:45am. They dumped about 15mm of rain in just 15 minutes across portions of the island and south onto the south shore. It also produced reports of 1cm hail. Temperatures yesterday remained chilly all day in Montreal and along the US border as we remained in the cool sector. Just south of us more record heat was sending temperatures soaring into the 90's. Boston had a high of 91F, the earliest 90 degree day ever. They usually do not surpass 90 until June 5 on average. A cross section of the temperatures across the region from north to south at 3pm yesterday looked like this, Montreal 13C, Burlington 15C, Montpelier 25C, Springfield, VT 29C, Boston 32C and New York City 32C. I think you can see where the warm front was lying.

Today is very different in the region. A cold northeast wind has dropped temperatures down to 3C here in Montreal with drizzle. We can expect it to remain chilly for the next 36 hours with steady rain at times and the risk of thunderstorms as well. Winds will be gusty from the northeast at 30-50km/h. The air has chilled sufficiently enough in the western Ottawa Valley for freezing rain this morning. On the back side if our rainmaker, low pressure moving across the Ohio Valley, snow is falling in Wisconsin, northern Michigan and northwest Ontario. From 10-15cm of wet snow is forecast. Showers and thunderstorms will continue across our region into Friday before it slowly clears out with a risk of some flurries. The weekend looks sunny and seasonable.

First thunderstorm

9:38 Watch expired - storms are off to the east of the city.

9am: A severe thunderstorm watch as been posted for Montreal until 10:30am. More thunderstorms are developing in the moist unstable air mass and producing very heavy rain, lightning and small hail. One passing over the West Island at this hour is dumping torrential rain with low visibility and very dark skies. These showers will move across the island over the next hour.

The first thunderstorm of this young 2010 season rattled across Ile Perrot and the western tip of Montreal island at around 3am this morning. Thunderstorms developed along a warm front that is stuck here in the St. Lawrence Valley. It will slowly begin to sag back south again into upstate New York leaving us on the cool and unstable side of it. A northeast breeze will hold temperatures around 12C today in Montreal while they will reach 20C in Toronto and Burlington and 30C in New York City. Low clouds and fog along with drizzle will also occur here in Montreal. In the last hour more thunderstorms have fired up in the Ottawa Valley and are rapidly moving east so we may have another rumble or two of thunder. The storm overnight dropped about 15mm of rain into my gauge at home.

Moving forward we can expect low pressure from the Midwest to move into our region Thursday with another 10-20mm of rain followed by much cooler weather and the risk of a flurrie or two Friday and early Saturday. Skies will then clear out for a sunny and seasonable weekend.

This morning temperatures are already approaching the mid 70's (22 to 24C) across the Ohio Valley and mid Atlantic, while in Denver and across Colorado, Wyoming and the Dakotas, light snow is falling with temperatures below freezing.

Battle of the seasons

Lake Champlain looked inviting in the 80 degree weather this past Saturday.
However the National Weather Service is warning people to stay away from area rivers and lakes that are running high and fast, and most importantly are only about 36F (2C) at this time of year. Hypothermia can occur in seconds. The same rule applies on both sides of the border.
ValleyWX Pic

That may have been one of the best long weekends ever. Bright sunshine and record high temperatures in the upper 70's (20's C) on Friday and Saturday, were followed by decent weather with very mild temperatures for Sunday and Monday. While no records were broke yesterday the temperatures remained well above normal. Record warmth is being felt all along the eastern seaboard with temperatures in the 70's and 80's or about 20 to 30 degrees above normal. The normal high in Montreal is about 43F (8C) for April 6. Despite clouds and showers from and advancing warm front today, we will still reach the 55 to 60F (13 to 15C) range. Rain will develop along that front today in the St. Lawrence Valley, and taper off after midnight tonight. Warmer temperatures with some breaks are possible on Wednesday in the warm sector. A sharp gradient will be in place from north to south with temperatures in the upper 70's in southern New England to near 60 (16C) in Montreal tomorrow. A cooler pattern with more rain and even some flurries is possible by Friday.

Meanwhile out west, winter continues with heavy snow falling across the Rockies and northern plains. In between, heavy thunderstorms are forecast in the Midwest, Ohio Valley, and eventually the Great Lakes and northeast by late tomorrow. We may even hear a rumble of thunder in Montreal for the first time this season.

Summer warmth

5pm UPDATE: New record highs today: 25C Montreal, 28C Ottawa and Prescott/Ogdensburg. Lake Ontario is keeping Kingston cool at 17C while just up the 401 Brockville is 27C.
Meanwhile the cool Atlantic is keeping Boston at 11C (52F) while most other locations in New England are in the 75-80F range with the exception of the immediate Lake Champlain shore line and as mentioned the immediate New England coast.

It appears we will skip a season, at least for the next two days. Strong high pressure will dominate the weather along the Atlantic coast and New England into southern Quebec and Ontario. The warm sunshine and strong southerly flow will push the mercury to summer readings of about 20 degrees above normal to record highs of 25C in Montreal and 23 to 27C in most regions away from the rivers or lakes. The cooler bodies of water will keep temperatures down in places like Kingston. The record high in Montreal for today was 16C set in 2009 and for tomorrow's date it is 21C set in 1981. If all goes as planned we should shatter those records. Temperatures are responding slowly this morning as areas of fog burn off. But they are coming up nicely to our west and south with readings already near the 17C mark along the US/Ontario borders.

Historic New England flooding

The month of March has produced some of the heaviest rainfall in recent memory across New England and the middle Atlantic states. Yesterday was no different as nearly 7 inches of rain fell in Rhode Island and Massachusetts producing record breaking - life threatening floods. Flooding of this magnitude has not been seen since the early 1950's when back to back hurricanes, Connie and Donna flooded the region. The Pawtuxet River is cresting at nearly 9 feet over flood stage and has forced closure of Interstate 95 near Warwick. Major flooding has forced thousands out of their homes with rivers continuing to rise in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The map below shows how much rain fell during the most recent storms. The heaviest rain remained just to our south along the US border. Some regions have had almost 2 feet or rain in March.

WARM MARCH
Montreal received about 25mm of rain over the last week to bring our monthly total to only 59.2mm (2.2 inches). That amount fell on only 6 days of the month. We normally have precipitation on 13 days during March. The incredible stats are our daily maximum temperatures and snowfall. The average maximum was 7.7C compared to a normal of 2.2C. The mean average was a warm 3.3 compared to the normal of -2.3C. We recorded only 1.4cm of snow officially at Dorval, or less than one inch. Unbelievable for a "winter" month. We are looking at potential record highs on both Friday and Saturday with temperatures reaching 25C.

More rain - then summer warmth

Low pressure continues to move along the Atlantic coast from Cape Hatteras north to New York City by later today. Copious amounts of moisture along with strong winds and pounding surf have been affecting the east coast for the last 24 hours. Some regions have had nearly 100mm (4 inches) of rain with another 2-4 inches is likely before it tapers off later today. Montreal received 13.2mm yesterday, before skies cleared for a frosty overnight. It reached -1C this morning with frost on the cars and a spattering of black ice on some area roadways. Another round of steady rain and gusty northeast winds will move inland towards the St. Lawrence Valley later today, but Montreal will remain on the western edge, so while the rain will be steady, we will not see anywhere near the amounts recorded along the east coast of the US.

Flooding continues to be a major issue from New Hampshire across Massachusetts and southern Connecticut and into new jersey and New York. parts of New jersey are experiencing the worst flooding in over 25 years. In Massachusetts the Governor has declared a state of emergency, and the National Guard has been called out.

After the rain tapers off late Wednesday, skies will clear out under strong high pressure, and record setting warmth and sunshine will move into the east for the Easter long weekend. Look for sunshine and temperatures approaching June values from 24 to 27C.

Rainy start...warm finish

Low pressure moving along the Atlantic coast will produce steady rain in Montreal today with heavy wet snow along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River north of Anticosti Island. This storm will bring 15-25mm of rain to the southwest part of the province and at least 15cm of wet snow to eastern parts of Quebec. This same low pressure area was responsible for several tornadoes last night over the Carolina's, and heavy rain once again from eastern North Carolina across the Delmarva and metro New York and into New England. This region can expect 3 to 6 inches of rain in the next 24 to 36 hours aggravating the already serious flood situation. This is the third storm to dump heavy rain on the same region in less than two weeks.

The good news is that once the rain moves out by Wednesday, we can expect a large ridge of high pressure to build in from the central US. A bubble of warm, summer like air will arrive just in time for the long Easter weekend. I expect sunshine Friday and Saturday with temperatures over 20C.

Earth Hour

A cold start to the morning in Montreal today as the temperature has reach -10C with a wind chill of -19C. This a far cry from yesterdays high of 13C. The temperature fell rapidly behind an arctic cold front from 12C at 6pm last night to 0C by 11pm. The front was dry in Montreal but did produce some snow squalls east of Quebec City. Today will be sunny and chilly with a brisk wind and a high around -2C. Saturday looks much the same with sunny skies and cool temperatures, before low pressure brings milder air and showers for Sunday.

Earth Hour occurs tomorrow night at 8:30pm local time. You are asked to shut down all lights for one hour to help save the earth and our environment. Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million homes and businesses turned their lights off for one hour to make their stand against climate change. One year later Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating. Global landmarks such as the, Sydney Harbour Bridge, The Cross on Mt. Royal here in Montreal, The CN Tower in Toronto, The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour. Visit HERE for more information.

Very Cold Friday

Snowy Wednesday morning in Beaconsfield, QC. ValleyWX Pic

Our roller coaster weather week continues along, with the greatest dip poised for tonight in Montreal and Ottawa and across the region. Yesterday Montreal reached 11C after a morning start with sub-zero temperatures and snow cover. The afternoon sun was warm and temperatures rebounded to well above normal. Today will be sunny and very warm once again on increasing southwest winds in advance of an arctic boundary. That front will cross the St. Lawrence Valley by 8pm this evening with showers and some snow squalls along it and a dramatic drop in temperatures. In a month that has been above normal almost everyday along with no sub-zero highs (very rare for March), tonight and tomorrow will feel frigid. The front will drop temperatures from today's high of plus 12C down to -10 to -13C overnight, a swing of almost 25 degrees. Along with the cold Arctic air will be strong winds from the southwest, backing to the northwest tonight and gusting to 50km/h producing noticeable wind chills. Any precipitation will freeze on area roads so keep this in mind while traveling. Friday will be sunny, but very cold, and perhaps our fist below freezing high for the month at -2C.

A quick wrap up of Tuesday's storm, it produced about 16mm of rain in Montreal with the heaviest rainfall southeast of the city. Lennoxville had 33mm and parts of Vermont over 50mm. Heavy snow fell north of Quebec City with Le Massif in the Charlevoix region recording 47cm. Winds gusted to 63km/h in Montreal, and 94km/h on Ile d'Orleans near Quebec City.

Storm Update

Cold air is pouring into the St. Lawrence Valley at this hour, as low pressure moves across southern New England to lie near Boston tonight. Strong northeast winds have dropped the mercury to 0C in Montreal with freezing drizzle. In Quebec City a winter storm warning is in effect for heavy snow and blowing snow. It is currently -2C there with east winds at 63km/h and 1km visibility in ice pellets. Keep this in mind if you are traveling north and east of Montreal. The heaviest precipitation is now over for Montreal, but light snow or freezing drizzle is possible well into the evening hours. Travel with caution today and expect delays north and east of Montreal. Peak wind gusts in the Quebec City area could reach 90km/h.

Heavy rain

Issued by The National Weather Service
Burlington, VT
11:24 am EDT, Tue., Mar. 23, 2010

THE FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE EAST BRANCH AUSABLE RIVER AT AUSABLE FORKS. * UNTIL THIS EVENING... OR UNTIL THE WARNING IS CANCELLED. * AT 10:15 AM TUESDAY THE STAGE WAS 6.5 FEET. * FLOOD STAGE IS 7.0 FEET. * MINOR FLOODING IS FORECAST. * FORECAST... RISE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE TO RISE TO NEAR 7.1 FEET IN THE AFTERNOON. THE RIVER WILL FALL BELOW FLOOD STAGE BY THIS EVENING. * IMPACT... AT 7.0 FEET... MINOR FLOODING CAN OCCUR IN KEENE. WATER BEGINS TO OVERFLOW ONTO HULLS FALLS ROAD... ROUTE 73... AND ROUTE 9N NEAR MARCY FIELD. HIGH WATER WILL IMPACT INTERESTS AT ALICE FALLS NEAR KEESEVILLE.

Low pressure this morning over Pennsylvania will move northeast to near Boston by late today. Radar at 8am (shown above) was showing heavy rain over the Montreal region, it has been falling since about 4am. Winds are gusting out of the northeast to 63km/h at Montreal, and 65km/h at Quebec City. While Montreal is reporting rain at 1C, the northern edge of the precipitation is falling as freezing rain and snow. Mirabel is 0C with freezing rain and Quebec City is -1C with snow. The cold rain, freezing rain and snow will continue all day with 20-40mm of total precipitation expected. Heavy snow is falling north of Quebec City into the Saguenay and Charlevoix regions. Roads are very poor in those areas as well as north of Montreal, where several schools have been closed for the day. Traffic is slow in metro Montreal due to water accumulation on area roadways and reduced visibility in heavy rain.

Weather Warnings are in effect for heavy rain, freezing rain and snow in most regions outside of metro Montreal including Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley. Flood watches have been posted for New York and Vermont. Winds will remain strong today gusting over 60km/h. All precipitation will end overnight tonight as a period of wet snow with 5 to 10cm (2-4 inches) expected in many parts of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario, with a little less in the city.

Warnings Posted

Low pressure is pushing a wide area of precipitation across New England, Ontario and into Quebec at this hour. Winds are increasing from the northeast, and cooler air is being drawn down the St. Lawrence Valley. Expect rain to begin shortly across the city and mix with freezing rain or wet snow overnight and Tuesday. The heaviest rain will fall in New England where 50 to 100mm (2-4 inches) is possible. Flood watches have been posted for Vermont and New York. Across our regions heavy rain is forecast in the Townships where warnings have been issued for up to 50mm. Meanwhile the colder air in place over the Laurentians and Ottawa Valley will result in pockets of freezing rain. All precipitation will end as a period of wet snow late Tuesday with 1-3cm possible. Freezing rain warnings are in effect for all of Eastern Ontario north of the St. Lawrence Valley and for the Ottawa Valley. They have also been posted for the Laurentians. Meanwhile heavy wet snow is forecast from Quebec City north and east with upwards of 15-20cm expected. Winds will be gusty out of the northeast to 60km/h. Travel will become very poor on area highways tonight and continue tomorrow, especially northeast on highway 20 towards Quebec City, north on the 15 into the Laurentians and northwest on the 40 towards the 417 and Ottawa.

Winter returns

Winter has returned to southern Quebec with cool temperatures and nearly 5cm of wet snow on Sunday. Another storm is poised to affect the region later today followed by the coldest air of the month to end this week.

Low pressure over the Ohio Valley is forecast to move into southern New England by Tuesday morning. A warm front will lift northward to just south of the St. Lawrence Valley overnight. In advance of this storm heavy rain will develop across New England and move north into Ontario and Quebec. The rain may begin as a period of freezing rain in the St. Lawrence Valley and Montreal as northeast winds keep the temperatures at or just above 0C. On Tuesday strong northeast winds and heavy precipitation are forecast. This system will bring 25mm (1 inch) or so of precipitation falling either as rain or a mix here in Montreal. There is the possibility that some warnings may be required, especially for the regions north or Montreal and the Ottawa Valley.

This same system dumped heavy wet snow across the southern plains over the weekend and is producing heavy rains across Pennsylvania and Ohio. Over 50mm (2 inches) of rain is forecast for the water logged region of southern New England and metro New York where flood watches have been raised. More warnings may be required later today and I will post them as they are issued. Check back this afternoon for an update.

First Day of Spring?

Highway 20 near the Ontario border today. Visibility was under 1km at times in wet snow. ValleyWX Pic

After an unseasonably mild month of March that has seen the mercury above freezing each and everyday including record highs in the mid-teens this past week, what would you expect for the first full day of spring? Exactly snow!

It has been snowing all day in the St. Lawrence Valley from Cornwall to Montreal. In the last several hours the steady snow has lowered visibility to under a kilometre at times on area highways and the snow is beginning to stick in many places. A couple of centimetres has accumulated on grassy areas and cars here in Ile Perrot, and as the temperatures continues to lower, roads will become icy as well. Many people took their winter tires off this past week, which I think may have been a little too early. The snow will taper off after midnight followed by a cloudy and milder day Monday. Another low pressure area in the Ohio Valley will move south of Montreal Tuesday pushing heavy precipitation into the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Valley's. At this time it appears that most of it will fall as rain but a significant amount of freezing rain is possible in many areas including Ottawa and Montreal Monday night. More details on that tomorrow morning.

In the meantime if you are travelling the 401/20 or 40/417 tonight expect some slick spots and reduced visibility for several more hours.

Weekend Update

Our region is in for more record warmth on this last day of winter, as the mercury soars to about 15C in Montreal and 19C in Burlington, Vermont. What a winter or non-winter it has been across southern Quebec. In March we have had no snow at all, the high temperatures have all been above freezing everyday of the month, and only 17mm of precipitation has been recorded at the airport.

The weekend looks variable as several fronts affect southern Quebec. It will remain mild, but clouds will be on the increase along with showers by Sunday. A steady rain may develop into Monday before it turns cooler with a snowflake or two. No major storms are on the horizon, but it will turn much cooler into next week as temperatures settle back to normal values for late March.

Spring arrives at 1:32pm EDT on Saturday.

Record Warmth

Record high temperatures were scattered across the region yesterday including 13.1C in Montreal and 15C in Ottawa, both well above the normal high of 2C for mid-March. It was 14.4C in Kemptville, ON and even 20C in Calgary for the warm spot in the country. High pressure will dominate our weather again today with the early spring sun pushing the mercury to 15C. A weak cold front tonight will bring a few clouds and maybe a sprinkle. It will be sunny and a little cooler Thursday before low pressure heads for the St. Lawrence Valley this weekend with clouds and showers. At this time it still appears that the temperature will come back to normal next week with the chance of some snow or rain. The warm weather has resulted in a rapid melting of all the snow pack. That combined with the weekend rains is producing fast, cold and high running water on area rivers, streams and lakes. Be very careful on or near any ice or water for the time being.

New England Flooding

Rapid snow melt and heavy rain produced flooding across New England. Below: heavy surf damaged this home on Plum Island, Mass. (Boston.com photos)


Flooding spread across metro New York and New Jersey into Connecticut and Massachusetts yesterday and continues this morning. Numerous rivers are at record flood stage including the Merrimack River along the New Hampshire border with Massachusetts. Heavy rain and rapid snow melt have combined to produce what many had feared after this winters heavy snow, a rapid melt. Thankfully the storm that caused over 5 inches of rain and wind damage is moving into the Atlantic Ocean this morning. Skies are clearing out in all regions, and it will be sunny and warm for several days to help dry things out.

The next chance for rain in Montreal will come later this week. While it remains mild, and today is the official day in Quebec that you can remove snow tires, my advice would be to wait. Indications are there will be a major shift in the weather pattern the last week of March that could produce some snow in southern Quebec and Ontario. Stay Tuned! For the short term enjoy the sunshine and 14C weather today and Wednesday.

Worst storm since 1985

Damage in Scarsdale, NY. (NY Times Photo)

The storm that swept the metro New York region this weekend was the worst since hurricane Gloria in 1985. Winds of over 70mph tore down thousands of trees, crushing cars, homes and in some cases people. The storm left almost a half a million customers without power. This morning over 300,000 are still in the dark in metro New York, including Long Island, southwest Connecticut and New Jersey. In addition to the wind, coastal flooding and heavy rain has left many regions under water. Nearly 5 inches of rain fell with rivers still rising. Some evacuations will be needed especially in Massachusetts.

Montreal remained on the western edge of the storm with 50km/h winds (30mph) and about 18mm of rain or about 3/4 inch. In Montreal the sun is shinning this morning and it will be a fair and mild work week. Most of our snow is now gone with the exception of some dirty piles in parking lots.

Storm Update

Brooklyn, NY from the New York Times

As of 8am EDT this morning, a strong storm continues to spin off the Delaware coast. Abundant moisture and strong winds are feeding inland across New York, eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. The temperature in Montreal has been falling since late afternoon Saturday, and we are now at 1C with a rain/snow mix and northeast winds at 50km/h. The rain and cold temperatures with gusty winds will continue all day in the St. Lawrence Valley. Further south snow is accumulating across the highest elevations of the Green Mountains, so a winter storm warning has been posted for 4 to 7 inches of wet snow in that region. Coastal areas continue to see flooding and pounding waves. Flooding is also occurring across southern New England and western New York. Travel today with great care as roads are wet and in some cases snow is falling.

Of note the death toll is at 5 from falling trees in the New York metro region. Power remains out to hundreds of thousands across the tri-state region. Highways are closed from flooding and trees are down everywhere, too many to count.

Another strong Nor'Easter

One of thousands of trees down in New Jersey. NJ.com Photo

A powerful east coast storm is pounding the region from the Carolina's northward into New York and coastal New England. The storm has produced hurricane force wind gusts today causing widespread damage and coastal flooding. Winds gusted to 67mph at JFK in New York City and over 50mph in southern Ontario. Power is out to over 450,000 homes in New York and New Jersey. Several thousand homes lost power in southern Ontario. Flooding rains are occurring in metro New York and southern New England. Numerous trees have fallen and the wind has taken several roofs off as well. Trees have crushed cars and homes on Long Island, where over 125,000 customers are without power. The New Jersey Turnpike had to be closed at Exit 7 due to debris being blown onto the highway, and rail service has been suspended in that state. The region had an incredible amount of snow this winter, so the ground is saturated increasing concerns for major flooding. Nearly 4 inches (100mm) of rain is forecast before the storm pulls east out to sea. Strong winds and steady rain also moved into Ontario today from Cornwall west into the GTA. The rain and strong winds are forecast to move into Vermont and Quebec overnight. Winds are expected between 40-60km/h in Montreal, where they are currently gusting over 40km/h. The heaviest rain should remain south of the city.

• Today is the anniversary of the big 1993 Superstorm that struck from Cuba and Mexico to Quebec and east into Atlantic Canada. Over 40cm of snow fell in Montreal with zero visibility for hours. Power was out and roads were closed in the city. It was the only day in my 10 years at the Montreal Gazette that our paper did not get out to our customers. Nearly 300 deaths were reported along the storms path with damage of over 6 billion from snow, flooding, tornadoes, strong wind and waves.

Weekend Update

It was a poor decision to play with the clock on the weekends and take away an hour from us. Why not do it in the middle of the workday! On that note, remember to do just that task before going to bed Saturday night, spring forward one hour.

The weekend will be decent in southern Quebec and eastern Ontario as we remain on the northern edge of yet another east coast storm, the same scenario that has played out all season. Saturday will be partly cloudy and mild, while Sunday will be much cooler with showers. This time it is a warmer storm system with heavy rain (not snow) and thunderstorms expected from the Ohio Valley into the middle Atlantic and northeast US. Winds and clouds will begin to increase in the St. Lawrence Valley late Saturday and into Sunday. With the storm passing to our south and east, winds in the valley will be out of the northeast, this should result in a very cool, raw day for the big St. Patrick's Day Parade in Montreal. While I think the heavy rain will stay to our south, any precipitation at plus 2C with a northeast wind will make it feel uncomfortable outside. It will warm again next week under clearing skies.

It has been a very dry start to March, just like February. To date in Montreal we have had 0.0mm of precipitation. You have to go back to February 27th for the last precipitation. Normally we should have 73.6mm for the month of March. February recovered during the last 10 days or so ending the month with 49mm including 47.8cm of snow. Normally we should have 61.5mm and 43cm of snow for February. So ironically we had more snow than normal last month, go figure, it sure did not show.

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!