Quake rattles east coast

Damage in Washington DC from a 5.8 quake today (Getty Images)

A moderate earthquake of 5.8 rattled the east coast from Montreal and Toronto south to Florida. The quake occurred at around 2pm close to the small town of Mineral, Virginia about 90 miles northwest of Washington D.C. While others in Montreal told me they felt the swaying for about 30 seconds, I must admit I did not. Office buildings in New York, Boston and other cities were evacuated, as was the White House and Pentagon. Minor injuries were reported with some serious damage scattered throughout the mid-Atlantic with the worst close to the epicentre in Virginia. Scattered power outages were reported and several nuclear plants were placed on alert or taken offline. Train and plane service slowed or stopped immediately after the quake and is slowly returning to normal. The quake was the worst to affect the region in nearly 100 years.

Hurricane Irene
The region is also preparing for what could be a major hurricane by the weekend. Hurricane Irene is centered near the Turks and Caicos Islands this evening with 90mph winds, a little weaker than earlier today but still expected to become a major hurricane over the next 48 hours. Computer guidance has been shifting the track of the storm further east away from Florida with the last several runs and it now looks like the Outer Banks of North Carolina could be a target. Anybody who knows me or reads this blog knows my connection to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. I have been vacationing there since 1991 including this past May. The thin, fragile barrier islands look like they could take a direct hit from the storm. Further up the coast residents from Virginia to Nova Scotia are being advised to monitor the storm closely. I will have much more on Irene this week, updating via Valley Weather blog or twitter as often as I can.

Irene now Category 2

Hurricane Irene on visible satellite image this evening.

A hurricane hunter has reported 100mph winds with Hurricane Irene this evening. That makes the storm, the first hurricane of 2011, now a category 2 on the Saffir Simpson scale. The storm is expected to maintain a northwest motion at 10mph and skirt the northern coast of Hispaniola before heading into the Bahamas Tuesday. Forecasters expect Irene to become a major hurricane on Tuesday. The forecast track of the storm has it approaching the southeast coast of the US as a major storm by Saturday. The latest guidance has the storm now missing Florida and threatening the Carolina's.

Tropical Storm Irene

Tropical Storm Irene developed yesterday in the Caribbean Sea southeast of Puerto Rico and is hammering the region tonight with heavy rain. A hurricane hunter aircraft has reported winds of 60 mph and further strengthening is expected. Irene will likely become the first hurricane of the season on Monday. The storm is expected to affect Haiti and the Dominican Republic before heading toward south Florida later in the week possibly as a strong hurricane.

More storms tonight

The tornado warning has been allowed to expire, but a severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect for Lacolle and the region along the US border from New York into Vermont. Heavy thunderstorms with hail and strong winds continue to develop in the unstable and humid air mass in the region. They will affect all of southern Quebec tonight with heavy rain and gusty winds. West of Montreal a large area of showers and storms is heading towards the city. The precipitation will continue until well after midnight. While it is not severe at this time, heavy rain is expected. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are also in effect for eastern Ontario.

This afternoon at around 4pm, Goderich on the shores of Lake Huron suffered tremendous damage in the downtown from what is suspected to be a tornado (see above photo from The Weather Network). The damage photos are unbelievable. One fatality may have occurred with the storm according to OPP. Tree and roofs were torn down and homes damaged. Cars were tossed around and golf ball size hail was reported.

Severe Thunderstorms

6:45 pm - The latest myweather.com radar showing strong storms across the region including rotation near the US border.

6:45pm UPDATE: Tornado Warning Issued Radar images are suggesting the presence of a Tornado at The U.S. Border. This Severe Thunderstorm Cell is moving northeastward at close to 40 kmh and should reach the Brome- Missisquoi area in the next few minutes. Gusts of 100 Kmh or more, possibly hail Of 2 centimetres or more and frequent lightning are associated with this Storm Complex. People in these regions should take the required precautions and listen for subsequent Weather Warnings. This Warning Is In Effect From 18:28 To 19:30 EDT.

Strong thunderstorms have been occurring all day across southern Ontario, southern Quebec and into northern New England. Heavy rain has been the story so far, but strong winds and hail have developed along the Lake Champlain shoreline with some of the storms. Radar has even indicated rotation with one storm just east of Lacolle moving northeast. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are in affect for the region south of Montreal to the US border and east into the Beauce region. Earlier today a water spout was reported near Gananoque, Ontario.

Weekend Update

Ron Fellows NASCAR race car at the Canadian Tire on St. Charles yesterday,

before the thunderstorms. (ValleyWx Pic)

It is two years today since my dad passed away.

As always this blog is written for him. See post HERE.

The weekend forecast will be 50/50 for the entire region with a sunny and warm Saturday followed by showers and thunderstorms and cooler for Sunday. The weather Saturday will be ideal for the NASCAR NAPA Auto Parts 200. I have my tickets, if your going bring the sunscreen and water, it will be sunny at 30C with just a few stray clouds. This morning we have already warmed to 22C and it is quite humid after some overnight showers. The day should be sunny and warm at 28C with just a slight risk of an isolated shower or storm, especially south of the city towards the US border.

The tropics are heating up with tropical depression 8 southeast of Belize City with 35 mph winds and a couple of invests in the Atlantic. The next storm will be Harvey. Look for the development of several disturbances over the next couple of days. I will have more information on that late today.

Perfect summer day

You can feel the days of summer passing us by. Last evening I noticed some trees in our neighborhood showing signs of color. The days are getting shorter and the longer nights mean cooler temperatures. After yesterday's high of 27C most areas across southern Quebec dropped to between 10 and 15C this morning, however there were some notable exceptions. Mirabel was 9C (48F) and St Jovite 5C (41F) this morning. The winner for an early fall chill this goes to La Grande where it was 2C (34F). We will recover nicely here in Montreal today, under bright sunshine we should reach 27C (81F). The balance of the week will be warm and muggy with temperatures near 28C right into the weekend. There is a risk of thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday and again on Sunday. The weather at this time looks perfect for the NASCAR NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday.

Elvis and Camille

Damage from Camille in 1969

Historically late on this day in 1969 Hurricane Camille roared onto the coast at Gulfport, Mississippi. In my life time this was the benchmark storm growing up that people and forecasters always referred to when talking about big hurricanes, that was until Katrina in 2005. Camille was a small but potent Category 5 storm that hit the region at night with a 20 foot storm surge. Over 260 people died in the storm, mostly drowning deaths along the coast and further north in the Appalachian mountains of northern Virginia. The storm was one of the strongest on record worldwide with winds of 200 mph and a central pressure of 905mb. Damage was complete in coastal communities all along the Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana coasts.

ELVIS: Also of note on this date was the death of Elvis at age 42 in 1977. Most people remember where they were when the heard the news, I was on a VIA train. Of course I am going to put a weather spin on this. I was only 11 years old and was traveling with my mother and grandmother to Ottawa for the day. I remember it was unseasonably cool and very rainy in both Ottawa and Montreal. A quick look at the stats showed a high of 18C with rain and fog in both cities, 4.8mm in Montreal and 16.0mm in Ottawa.

**More showers are possible today as an upper level low continues to spin over eastern North America. The heaviest rain yesterday remained over New England and New York. It will be warmer today and the instability could result in a shower or two this afternoon in southern Quebec. Skies will clear for Wednesday with warmer weather, close to 29C.

NYC flooding

Flooding in Massapequa, New York on Sunday. CBS 2

A record 7.72 inches of rain fell at JFK yesterday flooding roads and basements and knocking out power to thousands in metro New York City. The rain, part of a system that stretched from the middle Atlantic to the northeast, generated slow moving thunderstorms that deluged many areas. The northern edge of the same system produced severe thunderstorms in our region with gusty winds and heavy rain. Trudeau Airport reported just under one inch of rain (22mm) for the 24 hours, I measured about 0.5" (15mm) at my home west of the airport. Heavier rain occurred southwest of Montreal and into eastern Ontario and upstate New York. As the upper level low over Ohio and the coastal system move slowly northeast today, more showers are possible with heavy amounts up to 2 inches (50mm) across the region in the slower moving cells. Radar is showing showers and some thunderstorms over southern Vermont moving north this morning. They should reach southern Quebec by the afternoon. The air mass will remain unstable well into Tuesday before drier air moves in from the northwest lowering dew points and humidity levels. Wednesday and Thursday look sunny and warm at this time.

Above: Accu-Weather Radar this morning.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for southern Quebec including Montreal until 9pm this evening. A slow moving frontal boundary combined with warm, humid and unstable air, is the focus for heavy storms this afternoon. Most of these storm cells are moving very slowly and producing heavy rain in a short period of time. Several storms are affecting the region between Valleyfield and Morrisburg, Ontario at this hour with up to 50mm of rain possible. Warnings have been issued by Environment Canada for this area. These particular cells are drifting slowly northwest and should not affect the metro region. Others are developing over the central portion of the island and south towards the US border.

Storms are also occurring south of the border in New York and Vermont. One cell produced 1.32 inches of rain in 30 minutes in Saranac Lake. A flood advisory has been posted by he National Weather Service for Franklin, Clinton, Essex and St. Lawrence Counties.

Parade of storms

National Hurricane Center

Our weather will be spectacular today across southern Quebec. If you have outdoor activities, today is your day. Sunshine and warm with high temperatures around 29C. The same applies for eastern Ontario and northern Vermont and New York. A cold front will move across the St. Lawrence Valley late overnight and Sunday with showers, thunderstorms and cooler weather.

Parade of storms: The National Hurricane Center is issuing advisories on newly formed tropical storm Franklin northwest of Bermuda and moving away from any land. While Franklin is not a concern, the three potential areas on the map above could be. We will have a busy week ahead and I imagine a busy remainder of August and into September as we approach the peak part of the hurricane season in what looks to be an active year.

Weekend Update

It was a coll start to the morning across the area today with temperatures in the 10 to 15C range across the province. This would make it one of the coolest mornings since May. Under bright sunshine the temperature will recover to 26C today and a warm 30C on Saturday under sunshine. A frontal boundary will return the threat for showers to southern Quebec, Ontario and northern New England by Sunday.

Just how hot a summer has it been this summer? Well here in Montreal, we reached 30C (86F) or better on 9 of 31 days in July. We had 21 of 31 days over 27C (81F) and a record high of nearly 35.7C, the warmest since the heatwave of 1975. Well how about Windsor, Ontario, they recorded the warmest monthly average ever in Canada at 25.8C, by comparison we were an equally warm 23.1C. South of the border the numbers are impressive. Texas has been melting under intense heat and drought for the entire summer. Dallas yesterday ended its streak of consecutive days of 100F or better at 40, just shy of the 1980 record of 42 days. Waco broke its record at 43 days off 100 plus temperatures and Wichita Falls 42 days, both set during the summer of 1980.

More storms

Was severe weather and lightning or arson responsible for yesterday's fire at the old Motel Raphael in Montreal? Police are investigating.
(The Gazette)

Flooding in Montreal last evening. (CBC.ca)

A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect in Montreal and southern Quebec until 11pm this evening. It caps off what has been a very active 24 hours in and around the region. It started last night with more rain in 3 hours than we had the entire month of July. I measured 71mm overnight at my home, 66mm of that falling in a 3 hour span. I am quite confident of its accuracy with the gauge in the middle of my yard, and bone dry at 6pm. I will add a second gauge to my property for the next time, but radar does support that amount. The cells moved right over my location about 25km southwest of the airport.

That is nearly double what the airport measured at 37.2mm. That was a record for Montreal for the date, the previous being 32mm set in 1959. Keep in mind that was a 24 hour record, this fell in just a few hours. Closer to my location St Anne-de-Bellevue recorded 51mm. The heavy rain produced major flooding in some sectors of the city. Thankfully our sewer system here on Ile Perrot is awesome and handled the torrential downpour. Last month Montreal had only 59.2mm, much less away from the airport, and 93.8mm for June. Officially so far in August we have measured over 90mm.

More storms flared up this afternoon with fierce lightning, hail and gusty winds. Power was out in many areas and another 10-15mm of rain fell. Just after the storm started a major fire erupted at the old Motel Raphael in the Montreal borough of NDG. The landmark building famous for room rentals by the hour since the 1960's, had been abandoned since 2009. It is not clear if lightning started the fire, but investigators are on scene tonight.

From drought to flood

Flooding along Lakeshore Drive in Toronto today. (CTV.ca)

Low pressure over Ontario is spinning its way east this evening into southern Quebec. Warm and humid air in place is providing the fuel for very heavy rain. Radar at 8pm is showing rain with embedded thunderstorms moving over northern New York State and the St. Lawrence Valley of Ontario and lifting north into southern Quebec. A special weather statement has been issued from both the National Weather Service and Environment Canada for 1 to 2 inches (25-50mm) of rain locally overnight. The rain will be very heavy at times in thunderstorms. The same system produced flooding in portions of Ontario today including the GTA and points east towards Belleville and Kingston. The threat for showers and storms will persist into Wednesday.

Cooler weather

It was another spectacular day on Monday in what has become a spectacular summer. Sunshine pushed the mercury above the forecast high again to 28C in Montreal. Today will be the last in this current string of awesome days with sunshine through increasing clouds and a high of 27C. Tonight showers will develop as weak low pressure and a cold front move from Ontario across Quebec. Wednesday will be noticeably cooler with showers and thunderstorms and a forecast high of 21C. Skies will clear by Thursday and the first half of the weekend at this time looks good, the second half not so good.

**I spoke briefly the other day on the cooler nights and fog as August moves along and September beckons. Last night when I went to bed it was a summery 23C at 11pm. Just 5 hours later Ile Perrot was 16C. That is a drop from 73F to 61F in just 6 hours (more dramatic in Fahrenheit), that my friends is radiational cooling at its best under clear skies and with light winds. That is very fall like for sure, just saying!

Sunshine returns

Deep hail in southeast Saskatchewan after major storms hit the region this weekend. (The Weather Network)

While searing heat continues to affect the southern plains and southeast US, a little bit of Autumn is working its way into western Canada. In between humid and unstable air has produced impressive thunderstorms. After a nearly bone dry month of July in my little corner of the province, I measured over 30mm of rain this weekend in thunderstorms. Numerous reports of damage came in from all over the province including Canada's 7th tornado this season, an F-1, with winds up to 150km/h, confirmed in the tiny municipality of Saint-Ludger-de-Milot, 100 kilometres northeast of Chicoutimi. The storm uprooted trees and damaged houses cutting power to over 1600 homes. Storms in Quebec this weekend produced flash flooding southeast of the city where nearly 100mm of rain fell. There were also reports of downed trees and power poles. Meanwhile out west southern Saskatchewan and Alberta were hammered by deadly storms that produced ankle deep hail, strong winds, heavy rain and at least one tornado. Two deaths have been blamed on the storms, one in Saskatchewan and one in Alberta. The hail, reported to be as large as golf balls in places, caused considerable damage to crops with claims nearly doubling in one week. The air is a little more stable this week so look for sunny skies and little threat for severe weather.

Meanwhile back here in Montreal high pressure will give us a sunny and warm Monday and Tuesday before another frontal boundary returns showers and thunderstorms to the region by Wednesday. Temperatures will be near normal, around 27C (81F) most of the week.

More storms today

I measured 20mm of rain here on Ile Perrot last night as a thunderstorm crossed the area around 10pm. Only 2mm fell at the airport. The rain was very welcome in my neighbourhood where all the lawns had become a crisp yellow. This morning we are already at a very humid 24C (76F) with the ever present risk of showers and thunderstorms all day as a weak front lies to our northwest. Humidex values will be well into the 30's today making it feel uncomfortable. Some of the storms this afternoon may be on the strong side with heavy rain being the main threat. Radar this morning is showing a line of storms well to the north of Montreal across the northern Laurentians along with several isolated cells in eastern Ontario. They may pop up in the metro region at anytime today.

Thunderstorms

Radar image from myweather.com continues to show a decent storm cell moving across Ile Perrot from south to north. Steady and much needed rain has fallen over the last half hour, more I believe than we saw the entire month of July at my home.

A weak frontal boundary and a rather warm (30C) and humid day have triggered a few thunderstorms this evening over extreme southwest Quebec. One cell, that had a warning on it that has since expired, is moving into the Dorion/Ile Perrot region at this hour. There are gusty winds, lots of lightning and some decent rain with this storm. It is moving oddly from south to north and will move onto the West Island of Montreal and Laval in the next hour. More showers and storms are possible overnight an into Sunday as the air mass remains moist and unstable.

Weekend Update

We have low clouds and fog again this morning, further indication we have entered the month of August. The nights are just a little longer and the dew points a little higher and we end up with fog. A marine layer of air has been hugging the St. Lawrence Vally both yesterday and today. It took until noon for it to lift yesterday but then temperatures responded quickly to 26C. We will have sunshine and warmer temperatures again today, once the fog burns off, look for highs around 29C. The weekend will be unsettled with showers and thunderstorms and temperatures from 22 to 28C. It will not be a wash out, as the system will pass to our south, but higher humidity will result in the risk of showers all weekend.

Tropical Storm Emily weakened yesterday to a low pressure system near Haiti. The storm is still meandering around the eastern tip of Cuba this morning (see 1 in image). Forecasters say the storm has a 60% chance of redevelopment over the next 24 hours as she moves northwest towards the Bahamas. All warnings are down as of this point. All interests along the southeast US coast should continue to monitor the system. At the very least high surf, rip currents and perhaps some showers may affect the Outer Banks by late Sunday.

Typical August weather

Flash flooding yesterday in Puerto Rico from TS Emily. (weather.com)

It looks like we are going to settle into a typical August pattern for the next few days. The nights have turned noticeably cooler and the days are staying around 27C. We have clouds this morning as a northeast breeze is producing a maritime layer of air over the St. Lawrence Valley. Temperatures are cooler at 19C. The sunshine has broken out in Ontario and across the Ottawa Valley, so I expect skies to clear here before noon. Friday will be spectacular, before an unsettled weekend with showers Saturday at 29C and Sunday at 23C.

Tropical Storm Emily is located about 40 miles south southwest of Isla Beata, Dominican Republic at 8am. The storm is slowly expected to drift northwest across Haiti today. The main threat remains very heavy rain with 6-12 inches forecast and as much as 20 inches. With 600,000 people still living outdoors after the January 2010 quake, this could be critical with flash floods and mudslides possible. Yesterday Puerto Rico reported flash flooding along many roadways and villages. The storm remains a threat to the Bahamas and perhaps the southeast US this weekend. Emily has 50 mph winds and will weaken slightly today while interacting with Haiti. She is expected to slowly gain strength into the weekend and could reach hurricane strength by Sunday off the Carolina's. There remains lost of uncertainty in the forecast, check the link on the left often for the latest updates from the NHC.

Tranquil weather

Another awesome sunset in Montreal. ValleyWX Pic

There are parts of the country not having very good weather today, but southern Quebec is not one of them. Our spectacular summer moves along with another partly cloudy and dry day with seasonable temperatures around 26C. Into the late week and weekend, heat and humidity will build again with the threat for some showers or thunderstorms by the weekend.

Meanwhile portions of Atlantic Canada will see 25-50mm of rain today from thunderstorms especially Nova Scotia. Looking south it remains sultry from the southwest across Texas and into the southeast and middle Atlantic. More triple digit highs are expected today. Last month over 2500 record highs were broken across the US with even more in Canada including Montreal's 35.6C one of the warmest days ever in this city. It looks like the heat will prevail into August.

A quick update on Tropical Storm Emily. The storm is located about 145 miles from Santo Domingo. Warnings are out for the region with heavy rain being the main threat. Over 10 inches could fall in the Dominican and Haiti. Afterwards the system is expected to reorganize and take a run at the Bahamas before moving offshore of the southeast US coast. There is still a possibility of the storm becoming a hurricane over the weekend and all interests from the Carolina's to Florida should remain on high alert.

Emily Update

It finally rained in Montreal yesterday, but too much too fast in some areas of the city with 26.3mm falling at the airport in a brief period of time in the late afternoon. The rain was already half of what fell in the entire month of July. It produced flooding in Verdun and the downtown core with several underpasses closed. In my little corner of the metro region we missed the first storms but some late last night and overnight brought about 6mm of rain, not much but I will take it. We managed a warm high of 31C yesterday before the storms, and we should reach about 27C today. We still have a slight risk of some showers early today, but the radar is clear except close to the US border and I expect it will stay that way.

Tropical Storm Emily : has developed in the Atlantic and is about 265 miles southeast of San Jaun this morning and moving west at 14mph. The storm is poorly organized but could still be a rain producer for Haiti, the Dominican and parts of the Leeward Islands. Winds are around 40mph with some slow strengthening possible. The storm could threaten the Florida east coast by the weekend.

Severe Thunderstorms

9:30pm Update: Storms are now moving just south of L'Ile Perrot with rain finally falling on my parched lawn and flowers. Lots of lightning, but no severe weather. Storms are heading for Chateauguay and Mercier.

A line of fast moving thunderstorms crossed the island of Montreal around 4pm today producing flash flooding in some suburbs and toppling trees and power poles in others. The storms caused flooding and wind damage through the center of the city with major flooding at Victoria and Jean Talon (above from CJAD.com), and power poles knocked down in South Shore Brossard. Trees also fell in may areas including several onto cars and one onto a home in Cote St. Paul where several families had to be evacuated. Despite the flooding in parts of the city, others such as here in Dorion had no rain at all. The temperature under sunny and humid skies had reached 30C but rapidly dropped to 22C during the storms.

Another line of storms is splitting the area at this hour, with cells passing west of my location across Valleyfield as well as more storms across the center portion of the city. I don't have an estimate on rainfall as of this time from the afternoon storms, and my gauge here at the house was bone dry.

Below: Storms are splitting my home here on L' Ile Perrot. (myweather.com)

More dry weather

This a great story HERE : Ralph the pelican was released this morning in North Carolina after being found on a roof of a Halifax, Nova Scotia business after Hurricane Earl last September. She has been returned home to her native North Carolina, very close to the Outer Banks.

July is drawing to a close today much the same way it started, sunny and warm and very dry. We had about 50 percent of our normal rainfall in Montreal with 56.2mm at the airport. But most of that was in thunderstorms, fell in a very short time and did not affect other parts of the city. For example here on Ile Perrot I had about 20mm of rain, less than one inch. Most of my flowers including the roses are dead, the lawn is hay and the trees are dropping their leaves. We have a strictly enforced water ban in the municipality as do many other regions in the southern part of the province and into Ontario. Today we are looking at temperatures close to 30C with sunshine. Tonight a weak front may produce a shower or two before sunshine and warm temperatures return into mid week.

Tropical Storm Emily?

An Army Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is on route to an area of disturbed weather about 650 miles east of the Lesser Antilles that is expected to become Tropical Storm Emily late today (100% likelihood according to the NHC). The storm is forecast to head towards the islands and affect them this week before moving towards the Bahamas and possibly the east coast. Stay tuned as this will be a big weather story this week.

Don fizzles

Texas Drought - 1 vs. Tropical Atlantic - 0

It was not much of a battle as Tropical Storm Don literally dried out over south Texas last night. The storm, or what was left of it moved inland near Baffin Bay around 10pm and immediately began to evaporate over the drought stricken state. The historic drought was too much for the poorly organized storm and this morning it is a remnant low over the Rio Grande. The storm provided little relief from the drought with just scattered showers and thunderstorms. Forecasters were expecting perhaps 1-3 inches of rain, but that seems generous with most stations reporting much less than that. Winds were perhaps 20mph along the coast. Forecasters are now watching two other areas of interest in the Atlantic basin for possible development. We are now heading into the peak seasonal months of August and September.

Weekend Update

The long weekend is upon is several parts of the country. The weather looks ideal in Ontario and Quebec with sunny skies and temperatures around 28C for both Saturday and Sunday. Today we have low pressure with a warm and cold front to our west. The warm front will cross the region early today with some showers or thunderstorms followed by the cold front later today with more storms. Radar shows a narrow band of precipitation marching across Ontario towards the Quebec border this morning. It will be warm and humid with highs around 29C, we are currently 23C in Montreal.

(National Hurricane Center)

Tropical Storm Don
Tropical storm Don remains poorly organized and somewhat elongated this morning over the Gulf of Mexico with 50mph winds. The storm is heading northwest at 14 mph towards the lower Texas coast. Don should make landfall tonight near Corpus Christie with slightly stronger winds and a surge of 1-2 feet. The rain from Don will not by any means be a drought buster for the parched state, but welcome nonetheless. Look for 2-5 inches along the path of Don with as much as 7 inches locally. The rain will be confined to South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Tropical Storm Warnings are flying along the Texas coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande River north to Matagorda.

Tropical Storm Don update

Tropical Storm Don remains a minimal system this morning looking a little less organized on satellite and radar than he did last evening. The system will begin slowly pulling away from the Yucatan today and into the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Texas coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to San Luis Pass. Don is moving northwest at 10mph and will approach the watch area by late Friday. The system is expected to become better organized today and become a strong tropical storm by landfall. An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter is en route this morning and we should have a better idea of how Don is behaving shortly.

Montreal weather remains very dry with only 50.6mm officially at Trudeau airport but most of that falling during 2 thunderstorms on 2 days. Only 93.8mm fell last month. No appreciable rain has fallen in the last 10 days, and none in the forecast, just spotty showers or storms over the next 24 hours as weak low pressure moves to our north. Into the weekend look for much warmer and more humid weather with highs from 27C to 30C right into next week.

Tropical Storm Don

A NOAA Hurricane Hunter flying into low pressure this afternoon just north of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula has observed 40mph winds and a closed center, so we now have our fourth named storm of the season, tropical storm Don. Don is forecast to move northwest at about 12mph towards the middle Texas coast. Some strengthening is expected, and we could have a strong tropical storm on the Texas coast by late Friday. The state has been suffering from searing heat and drought so the rain is welcome. Lets hope the wind and wave impact is minimal. Waters in the Gulf are warm but the storm is encountering moderate shear and this may keep development down.

Sunshine returns

My favorite peeps or pups Ginger (front) and Sheldon enjoying a break in the rain at the beach in Nova Scotia yesterday, on vacation with their mom and dad.

The heat and high humidity will take a break for one day as a pleasant air mass settles into Quebec and Ontario today. Temperatures will be in the mid 20's with low humidity and bright sunny skies. Despite the thunderstorm activity that was quite loud and at times severe across the city yesterday, we only received 1.6mm of rain at the airport and not much more than that at my home. The dry conditions persist with watering bans in effect in many southern Quebec municipalities. I noticed today my roses and trees are just about done. The lawn has been hay for awhile now. The heat will build back into the region starting tomorrow with temperatures at 30C into the weekend and just a slight risk of a thunderstorm.

Still no rain

Depending where you live in west end Montreal and off island to the Ontario border, you have had anywhere between 25 and 50mm of rain this month (1-2 inches), the normal is around 91mm. It is just not enough in this sweltering heat that we have had in July. Lawns, gardens and especially trees are beginning to show serious signs of water depletion and heat stress. This is true in neighborhoods, such as mine that have watering bans in effect. Leaves are changing color to yellow and dropping from trees making some area resemble October and not July. We will see what we can squeeze out of the clouds today. Yesterday the heaviest rain and storms split Montreal moving north and south of the city. Trenton, Ontario had close to 50mm yesterday alone. We had nothing but a few drops with officially 1.2mm at Trudeau Airport, just a splash in the rain gauge. Temperatures and cloud cover have thankfully lowered the temperature, we were at 26C the last two days, just shy of 80F. Today we are expecting weak low pressure to move across southern Quebec with some showers and thunderstorms. Radar returns at this moment are weak at best. Temperatures will be seasonable today at 24C before we warm close to 30C again towards the end of the week with humidity on the rise.

Heatwave, Drought?

The locks at Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue packed with pleasure craft on a 33C Saturday. (ValleyWX Pic)

Just what is a heatwave anyway? According to Environment Canada it is three days or more of 32C weather. Well lets split some hairs shall we. Following that logic we just finished one of the hottest weeks in recent memory and are in a very warm and dry month. We managed the second warmest temperature on record for the city of Montreal, the highest humidex reading Thursday at 47C, and the region has reported at least 10 heat related deaths. However on one day, Friday, we reached 31.9C so, guess what, no heatwave.

The truth of the matter is it was a dangerously hot couple of days that made today's 27C seem cool. We have seen so far this month 18 out of the 24 days at 27C (81F) or higher. Of those, 9 days, were 30C (86F) or higher. We have recorded precipitation on only 5 days this month for a grand total of 46mm at the airport and only 26mm off island to the west. In my neighborhood we have had even less with no appreciable rain in the last 10 days. Watering bans are in effect, and most trees and lawns are beginning to show serious signs of heat stress. This week will bring some slight relief in the form of showers and thunderstorms, but they will be scattered with no big rain makers in sight. It will be a little cooler to start the week, but we should be pushing 30C again by weeks end.

Record High

The setting sun plays with developing thunderstorms after a hot 35.6C day in Montreal. (ValleyWX Pic)

Montreal was among scores of cities across eastern North America to establish new record highs yesterday. The city reached a scorching 35.6C (96F) beating the old record of 35 set in 1955. It was just shy of the all time record set in August 1975 of 37.1C. Toronto also had a record high for the day and the month at 37.9C just shy of their warmest day ever of 38.3C. Ottawa reached 36.3C while Saint Hubert on Montreal's South Shore hit 36C, the warmest in the province. All regions had oppressive humidity with humidex reading in the mid 40's in Montreal and even touching 50C in southwest Ontario. Overnight lows were impressive as well with 26C so far in Montreal, and 28C (83F) in Burlington, Vermont. That low comes after a sweltering 97F yesterday for a record high as well.

Nearly 30 states have heat advisories of some sort today as well as portions of Quebec. The warnings in Quebec will be dropped today as the air mass dries out slightly. A weak cool front has sagged south across the area switching the winds from southwest to west. A few thunderstorms fired up along the front last evening producing vivid lightning once again at my home but little else. Sounds like a broken record this summer but the storms moved north of my location across the Island of Montreal. They produced heavy rain with some flooding and knocked a few branches onto power lines keeping Montreal firefighters busy.

Today and Saturday will remain warm with highs close to 32C. It will cool by Sunday (26C) with even cooler air to start next week before another warming trend. Showers and storms are possible Saturday night.

HOT

Live from NASA TV - The Space Shuttle Atlantis touching down at 5:56am in Florida this morning.

6am UPDATE: I am up early today to watch and listen to the final landing of the Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-135). I remember fondly and at times sadly watching this over the 30 years from Shuttle Mission 1 in April 1981 to this morning. This is the 135th Mission and last of the program. What an incredible landing to watch. Hard to believe 30 years ago I listened on a transistor radio, AM only, now watching it live from inside the cockpit on streaming video... just awesome - thanks NASA!

Weather Update: At 6am, Coolingwood, Ontario 30C (86F) humidex 39C. In Quebec St. Anicet 27C, Humidex 33C, unreal for the time of day. I am showing 25C here on Ile Perrot. Very simply put it will be hot today. It is 5am here in Montreal with an air temperature of 25C, elevated dew points and a humidex value already in the low 30's. Temperatures today will soar into the mid to upper 30's across Ontario and Quebec with 34C for Montreal and 38C for Toronto expected. Some relief may come in the form of thunderstorms later today. This morning a few showers and storms are occurring north of the city but they should remain there.

High Heat and Humidity Warnings and Air Quality Alerts are in effect for nearly 30 states and 3 provinces including locally Ontario, Quebec and New York and Vermont. Temperatures and humidity will make it dangerous today. So far the heat has claimed 22 lives in the US. The warm temperatures will last well into this weekend, but today will be the hottest day.

Tropical Update: We have two systems in the Atlantic, Bret and Cindy. Both are rather disorganized tropical storms and should remain out in the open waters and away from land.

High Heat Advisory

High heat and humidity advisories are in effect for most of southern Quebec and Ontario as a tropical air mass invades the region from the US. Temperatures will soar into the low to mid 30's with high dew points and heat index values well over 40C, especially in Ontario today through Friday. It short it will be hot and uncomfortable. The heat will peak tomorrow with highs close to 37C (100F) in may areas, probably "cooler" in Montreal at about 34C. There is a risk of strong thunderstorms in southern Quebec tomorrow as the humidity builds as well.

Just how hot is it? Yesterday, Winnipeg was 34C (95F) with a record humidex of 47C. Minneapolis had it warmest dew point value ever at 83F with highs in the 90's and heat index values over 110F. The heat will continue to build into the east for the balance of the week with most regions from the Mississippi Valley to the Atlantic and Northeast under heat advisories, nearly 1/3 of the US population. Keep cool, stay hydrated and check on your older family members and neighbours. The heat is especially hard on the very old and very young.

*As a footnote to the heat, the air quality is deteriorating as well as smoke from the northern Ontario forest fires drifts over the region. Combine that with elevated pollution from the heat and you get poor air quality for at least the next 2 days in major eastern Canadian cities.

Century mark by Thursday

Storm damage in downtown Ottawa Sunday night. (CBC.ca)

There is lots of weather to talk about on this Tuesday morning. Lets start with yesterday as more strong storms rolled across the region. Again most of the storms missed my location but passed well west and east of Montreal, however one cell did cross the city late in the afternoon with heavy rain. Some storms were quite strong in Ontario and New York bringing down more trees and power lines adding to the damage in Ontario and west Quebec from Sunday's storm. The storm on Sunday night knocked out power to over 100,000 homes and claimed two lives in Quebec as well as several injuries in Ottawa.

High heat and humidity is gripping the prairies and US Midwest and will spread back into Ontario and Quebec for the balance of the week. Temperatures yesterday were in the mid 30's with humidex values in the 40's. Numerous severe thunderstorms flared up across Alberta and Saskatchewan with several reports of softball size hail and even a couple of tornadoes. The mercury will begin to soar in our region with highs on Wednesday around 32C and rising to 34C by Thursday. In Toronto and southwest Ontario temperatures will exceed 38C (102F) with humidex values off the charts in the 40's. Advisories for high heat will likely be posted today for the entire region. To add to the already poor air quality, some smoke from the northern Ontario forest fires is beginning to drift south into eastern Ontario and Quebec. At this time no relief is in sight for the heat with it lasting well into the late weekend and possibly next week.

TROPICAL STORM BRET: continues to move slowly northeast into the Atlantic Ocean and away from land. The second system of the year is 410 miles south of Cape Hatteras with 50mph winds.

More dust is blowing around Arizona as the hot summer of 2011 moves on. Another dust storm was observed yesterday near Phoenix. Temperatures are hot in the most of the US with 100F plus temperatures in Dallas and Oklahoma City recorded everyday this moth except one.

More heat and storms

The wind, estimated at 100km/h, collapsed the main stage
at Bluesfest in Ottawa last evening.

Round 2 of the thunderstorms have just moved across eastern Ontario and the Valleyfield area this morning, and are exiting the region into northern New York. There will be a bit of a break to allow the humidity and heat to build again and we should see more storms later today as the mercury hits 29C.

The storms this morning were nothing compared to the fierce line of thunderstorms that moved across the Ottawa Valley last night. High winds, estimated at 100km/h toppled the main stage at Bluesfest in Ottawa, injuring twelve, one seriously. The stage collapsed at around 7:30pm with the band Cheap Trick preforming. Hydro One reported nearly 50,000 without power in eastern Ontario while Hydro Quebec estimated 100,000 without power from Gatineau to St. Jerome. The storms skirted the Montreal region with gusty winds and lightning but no damage was reported.

The heat will return starting Tuesday and build as the week moves along with highs expected in the 30's.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

A line of severe thunderstorms along a slowly advancing cold front is moving across eastern Ontario and into southwestern Quebec. A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Valleyfield, Huntingdon and the western off island suburbs of Montreal until 9:30pm. The storms produced 60km/h winds in Ottawa with higher gusts and dropped the temperature from 30C down to 21C. They will approach the city in the next hour or so.

The watch remains in effect until 1am for the entire region and has been extended south into northern New York and Vermont.

Heatwave moves east

Above the large Seaway ship Commencement approcahes the lift bridge at the western entrance to the Beauharnois Canal in Valleyfield yesterday. The boat held me up for 20 minutes, but it was worth the wait. ValleyWX Pic

**Well I was updating my blog when I heard a loud crash. It seems that a 20 or 30km/h southwest wind can lift a patio table and umbrella off a deck, who knew! Anyway latest temperatures around the region are heating up. Montreal is 27C, Ottawa 28C and Toronto already 30C. The heat has now prompted a High Heat and Humidity Advisory for metro Montreal.

Stifling heat and humidity is spreading across the Great Lakes and into the east this morning. As of 8am Montreal was already at 24C with highs expected close to 32C (90F) today. The humidity will be building as well with heat index values approaching 40C today. A brief break in the heat will affect areas along the Quebec/New England border tonight and Monday as a weak cold front triggers some thunderstorms and lowers the temperature. Monday Montreal is expecting high temperatures near 28C. By Wednesday the heat will be building east once again with temperatures rising back into the 30's. Southwest Ontario will be hot and humid all week with daytime highs in the 32 to 35C range and warm overnight lows in the 20 to 24C range. A heat alert has been issued for Toronto.

Spectacular Weekend

Map of expanding heatwave (weather.com)

Strong high pressure is building into the central plains and will slowly slide east during the weekend and into next week. This means a prolonged period of warm weather is on the way. The weekend in Montreal will be simply spectacular with bright sunshine and temperatures from 29C to 31C (85 to 88F). The warm weather will continue into next week with humidity levels on the rise and the risk for showers and thunderstorms beginning Monday.

That same ridge of high pressure will be responsible for a prolonged heatwave that will see temperatures between 30 to 40C (86 to 103F) from the northern plains and prairies into the Midwest, Northeast and middle Atlantic. Temperatures in Windsor, Ontario for example will reach 35C by next Wednesday, Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan, 34C with Montreal around 32C. Further south the hot weather will be accompanied by high humidity as well with heat index values in the 100-110F. The only relief from the heat will come along the Vermont, New York, Quebec border where a cold front could trigger some thunderstorms as early as Monday.

Brief storms

A frontal boundary moving across southern Quebec produced clouds and thunderstorms for most of the afternoon today keeping the temperatures down from yesterday's 30C (86F). We reached 24C (76F) prior to the storms around the lunch hour and then temperatures tumbled down to 16C (61F) before rebounding back to 24C (76F) under sunny skies to end the day. Just a few minutes ago I snapped the picture above near my home on L'Ile Perrot off the western tip of Montreal Island. We had a very brief shower go through with a rumble of thunder and then this beautiful double rainbow.

The storms that affected Montreal earlier today pushed into northern New York and Vermont between 3 and 5pm this afternoon. They were strong enough in Clinton County to produce 1-3 inches of rain in a very short period of time. Some flooding was reported. Skies should clear everywhere this evening with pleasant lows around 16C (61F). It will be sunny and warm for the next several days with temperatures from 27C (81F) tomorrow up to a hot and humid 33C (92F) by Sunday.

Heat and Humidity

Widespread damage occurred yesterday in Chicago from hurricane force winds. (Photo Chicago Tribune)

High heat and humidity continues to engulf most of eastern North America. Temperatures are in the high 80's to 100F with heat index values from 100F in southern Quebec and Ontario up to as high as 115F across the Tennessee and Ohio Valley's and into the southern plains and Gulf Coast. Yesterday a fast moving line of very strong thunderstorms known as a derecho blasted the Midwest from Illinois southeast into the middle Atlantic. Chicago at the height of the storm reported nearly 870,000 customers without power, a new record for the city. The storm produced widespread damage as hurricane force winds were recorded. Vehicles were blown over, trees torn down and wires and poles snapped. The thunderstorm complex started in the pre-dawn hours and raced across Illinois and Michigan, brushing southwest Ontario and lasting until late afternoon when the system finally dissipated over northern Virginia.

Besides the heat today, close to 30C in Montreal, we can expect a 40% chance of more thunderstorms. I had expected drier air today, but the cold front remains to our northwest. Wednesday will be showery and muggy as well before a period off great summer weather into next weekend with sunshine, low humidity and warm temperatures. Stay tuned and be sure to check out my twitter link for updates during the day.

Hot Monday

Impressive lightning over Denver yesterday. (Fox News Denver)

The A/C has already kicked in here at work, something that usually does not happen until late morning or early afternoon. The temperature in Montreal is at a hazy and humid 23C with a humidex already at 29C. Hot and humid air is streaming northward from the central US where triple digit heat has been baking the region for several weeks. Many locations in the southern plains have seen their warmest days since the 1980's. Oklahoma had temperatures near 110F over the weekend. Drought in the southwest continues to generate isolated sand storms, thankfully none as big as the monster one last week in Phoenix.

As far as our region goes, hazy sunshine will give way to clouds and thunderstorms by late today. Temperatures will reach 31 to 33C (88 to 92 F) in southern Quebec and eastern Ontario, and 32 to 35C (90 to 95F) in southern Ontario. Humidex values will approach 40C (104F), and into the 40's over Windsor and London where humidex advisories are in effect. Triple digit heat will spread from the southern plains into the middle Atlantic today. Meanwhile the leading edge of drier air is moving into the Midwest today. This morning strong thunderstorms and squall lines are producing wind damage from the eastern Dakotas across Minnesota and into Illinois and Indiana. Those storms will spread east today into Ohio and New York, and may graze southern Ontario. The storms in Montreal tonight will be gusty with lots of lightning, but they should not be severe. We will have to wait and see. Watch my twitter account for updates (link on upper left side of blog).

Weekend Update

Dark clouds begin to form behind fans at the U2 concert

last night in Montreal (Montreal Gazette)

A gusty line of thunderstorms greeted U2 fans last night as an unexpected downpour occurred around 11pm to coincide with the end of the concert. I was watching the radar last night and was impressed with the storms that developed rapidly after sunset well north of Ottawa and raced across the St. Lawrence Valley. The storms brought strong winds, over 60km/h at the airport, that toppled trees onto power lines. Montreal firefighters were kept busy answering numerous calls for trees on wires and debris blowing around. The downpour put about 10-15mm of rain down quickly drenching the 80,000 fans trying to return home. It cleared rapidly after midnight. Today and Sunday will be sunny and warm with highs around 27C (81F). The second U2 concert goes tonight and the weather will be perfect this time with no rain expected.

Atlantis Launch & U2

This severe thunderstorm produced tornadoes near Olds and Sundrie, Alberta.

Lots going on today in the weather world. First major storms struck southern Alberta last evening producing at least 3 tornadoes. Storms were fierce with up to 60mm or rain in under 2 hours and winds over 100km/h. One tornado was reported near Sundrie with minor damage reported. Environment Canada will be investigating today. More severe weather is occurring this morning.

Meanwhile the big Montreal event many have been waiting for is here. the U2 concert will be held outdoors in the central part of Montreal tonight and aging tomorrow evening. It is expected at least 160,000 fans will flock to the event. At this time the weather looks good for tonight and awesome for the weekend. We have some high clouds around at the moment and they will lower and thicken during the day with just a slight risk of a spotty shower. There is no rain expected Saturday. temperatures both days will be warm near 27C.


Space Shuttle Atlantis: The 135th launch in space is schedule to take place at 11:26am this morning when Atlantis lift of the pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. At this time the weather is suspect at best. There is lots of moisture around in response to a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico (that is another story). Clouds and lots of moisture are in the air and shuttle control would like clear skies for the event expected to draw millions of viewers. The launch is the last in the 30 year shuttle program. I can't tell you how excited I was on Sunday, April 12, 1981 when the first shuttle lifted off. I actually taped it on an audio cassette of the TV. Lets hope they get safely off the ground. Currently it is overcast and muggy at Cape Canaveral. A decision will have to be made shortly. Yesterday lightning struck dangerously close to the launch pad, but no damage was reported.
**As of 8:30am the astronauts are in the shuttle and the launch as at least a chance of liftoff.

Above: The Space Shuttle Atlantis sits on the launch pad last night waiting for today's 11:26 launch. Below: A lightning strike hits the pad coming oh so close to the shuttle yesterday. (NASA photos)

Complete shuttle coverage can be found HERE.

Storm damage in Vermont

Above: Lightning triggers a massive blaze at Holy Family Catholic Church. (Burlington Free Press)

Power poles lie on an angle in Georgia, Vermont this afternoon.
(Burlington Free Press)

A strong cold front raced across the region today with several rounds of thunderstorms. The storms produced steady rain in Montreal, but little else. About 15mm of rain fell throughout the day. As the front slipped south and east of the city the storms become much more pronounced and severe. Strong winds tore down trees across northern and central Vermont with numerous reports of downed power lines and poles. As of 7:30 this evening 13,000 homes are still without power.Lightning was responsible for at least two fires in the state including the parish hall at the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church in Essex. The fire started around 3:30pm and destroyed the 100 year old building. There are still some storms on radar south of Montreal in northern New York, but they are moving away from the region and dissipating.

A rainbow over Dorion, Quebec this evening was a nice

way to end a stormy day. (ValleyWX Pic)

Severe Thunderstrom Watch

** I am now using Twitter as well to provide quick updates during the day. You can view my page or follow me HERE or click on the link on the left hand column at the top.

A strong cold front over Ontario will slice across Quebec and northern New England today with a good chance of severe weather. This front has had a history of big storms from out west and into the northern US since Sunday. Look for thunderstorms to develop in the St. Lawrence and Ottawa Valley's by noon and spread southeast into Vermont and New York. Environment Canada is reflecting the severe weather concern, and has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for all of southern Quebec. The main threat with these storms will be heavy rain, up to 40mm in a short time. Strong winds are also possible along with hail. Remember on Sunday night when only portions of the area were hit, the same will occur today with scattered to numerous storms. The threat will end by sunset in our area with clearing skies. It will be cooler and drier on Thursday. Temperatures today will reach about 27C before the thunderstorms start up. Radar this morning is showing some storms out ahead of the main front, located from Kingston to Cornwall.

AP Photo of massive dust storm sweeping into Phoenix last evening.

Southwest Dust Storm: A massive dust storm swept across Arizona and into metro Phoenix last evening. The area has experienced dry and hot weather for weeks. The dust cloud was as much as 50 miles high and reached between 5000 and 8000 feet into the sky. It was accompanied by 60 mph wind gusts that cut power to many homes and businesses.

Summer storms

Sandbag walls protect homes along the Souris River in Manitoba yesterday. (Winnipeg Free Press)

Environment Canada spent yesterday compiling a list of damage from thunderstorms across Ontario and Quebec over the weekend. They included downed trees on cars, toppled power lines felled by 100km/h winds and flooded basements from torrential rains. The system also produced storms in the Montreal area on Sunday night. By all accounts the light show was spectacular on parts of the island. Heavy rains swamped some basements as over 40mm of rain fell in a short time from the central part of the city across to the South Shore. Large hail was also reported, up to 4cm in diameter in the Richelieu Valley. All was quiet yesterday with just an isolated shower or storm across eastern Ontario that drifted into new York. Today will be much the same, warm and humid with another 30C day expected.

Yesterday the warmest place in the country was Emerson, Manitoba at 33.4C (91F). Valleyfield in southwest Quebec was not far behind at 31C (88F). Across southern Manitoba the warm and humid air mass was swept east by a cold front late in the day. The front produced widespread severe weather including funnel clouds in Manitoba and across the border in northwest Ontario. Winds gusted to 107km/h in Emerson and there were numerous reports of hail. The rain added to the already swollen Souris River that continues to crest once again and flood portions of southern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and North Dakota.

Hot Weather

Happy 4th of July

Heat and humidity are spreading across the continent from the US southwest into Quebec. Temperatures will be near 30C again today after yesterday's high of 31C. Lines of thunderstorms affected the city and points east and south into Vermont last night, with some of the storms strong producing heavy rain and strong winds. A storm around 11pm, missed my home off the western tip of the island of Montreal, but pounded the city with up to 30mm of rain and winds over 60km/h. Several trees and power lines were down and the fire department was kept busy responding to calls for alarms triggered by the storm. The heavy rain also produced some minor flooding.

Hot temperatures occurred out west as well with the warmest spot in the country at 33C in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. Heavy thunderstorms ripped across the prairies with funnel clouds, fierce winds and more heavy rain for the waterlogged region.

It appears we are in for a warm and humid week with temperatures near 30C during the day and not far from 20C at night. Look for the risk of showers and storms by Wednesday.

Storms today - warm week ahead

Storm damage from Detroit's east side last night.

Hot and humid weather was the focus for heavy thunderstorms last night across southwest Ontario and into Michigan. The hardest hit areas were from Detroit to Hamilton where strong winds toppled trees onto cars and homes and power was out to thousands. The storms have since dissipated.

Early this morning a line of storms passed well south and east of Montreal and they too have weakened. We have partial sunshine at the moment with high humidity and temperatures already approaching 25C. Look for another round of showers and storms later today but they are not likely to be severe. Nevertheless some heavy rain may occur. Temperatures may rise a degree or two before the frontal passage, up to 27C. Tonight skies will clear out and it will cool off to 14C. The rest of the week looks warm and increasingly humid as more of that hot air from the US moves into the Valley. Yesterday Montreal reached 30C and we only dipped to 21C overnight.