Warmer weather forecast - but with some precipitation

The first signs of Spring are in the air as we move the clocks ahead tonight and the angle of the sun slowly increases. However we still have towering piles of snow around the city like this one in St. Laurent. It seems like it will take until July for them to melt away. (ValleyWX Photo)

After the stupid cold of this past week, it was great to reach the freezing point on Friday in Montreal. The overnight low at my home on L'Ile Perrot Friday morning was -21C but we manged to just nudge above 0C by late in the day. This was quite a big, but not uncommon temperature swing under the warm March sun. We had a little light snow overnight along a weak cold front, but that is coming to an end and we can expect sunshine the rest of the day and most of Sunday. Temperatures will remain around 0C today, dropping off to -14C tonight. By late in the day and overnight into Monday another weak clipper system from Alberta will bring 1-3cm of snow with continued milder weather. It will be near freezing during the day and about -10C at night. A couple of other small western systems will bring light rain or snow showers through Tuesday. By Wednesday, depending on which computer model you prefer, we may have sunshine or snow. A coastal system is expected to move up the eastern seaboard and could affect southern Quebec. It is too soon and with forecaster confidence rather low at this time, we will hold off on that threat and wait until we get through the weekend.

Short term warming trend ahead for Quebec

A NASA image of the frozen Great Lakes taken on February 26. As you can see only portions of Lake Ontario and the middle of Lake Michigan are ice free. It is estimated that almost 90% of the lake surfaces are frozen over, the most since February 1979. Also Niagara Falls has slowed to a trickle due to ice build up.

It was another cold morning in Montreal with temperatures down to -17C (2F) on L'Ile Perrot. We had 1-2cm of very light snow late yesterday, ending around midnight. The light snow and cold temperatures were just enough to produce some icy travel, especially south of the city this morning. There was a rash of accidents along Highway 30, but the warm March sun has taken care of that this afternoon. Temperatures today will be around -10C (14F) for a high. Tonight will be frigid with near record lows of -21C (-6F) in the city but much colder away from urban areas. The weather looks fairly quiet into the weekend with temperatures moderating to above freezing by Friday with a high of plus 1 or 2C (33-35F). Looking ahead no major storms are on the horizon at this time. The warm up this weekend will not last long with another shot of chilly air and below normal temperatures expected next week. The extended forecast for the balance of March and into early April looks to be colder than normal for southern Quebec. It is not surprising with so much snow and ice around that Spring will be delayed.

Frigid weather continues from coast to coast

A late season cold outbreak is making our weather feel more like January then March. It is another cold morning on L'Ile Perrot currently at -20C. Factor in the wind and it feels like the mid to low -20's. The weather is the same clear across the country with snow in B.C. and extreme cold across the Prairies. Edmonton dropped to -35.1 Sunday morning breaking a record of -34.4 that had stood since the icy cold winter of 1971. It was -39.8 in Coronation on Sunday establishing a new record as well. Other record lows were widespread across the west and windchill readings plunged to the ridiculous -50's.

Montreal received between 2-8cm of snow late Saturday from an arctic front. At my home on L'Ile Perrot and southwest to Cornwall, Ontario, a heavier band of snow dropped about 7cm while only 2cm fell at Trudeau Airport. It will be a cold and breezy day in Montreal today with a high temperature near -11C, the normal high is 0C. Cold and clear overnight with a low near -20C. Temperatures will slowly warm this week with no big storms on the horizon for the city.

Montreal Blizzard of 1971
Today marks the start 43 years ago of the Blizzard of 1971. It would drop 47cm of snow on Montreal in 36 hours with hurricane force winds in the St. Lawrence Valley. The storm would shut down the region. My post on The Suburban Weather Blog has all the details along with photos. Check it out HERE.

The big dig out, March 5, 1971. (Radio Canada Photo) 

Snow squalls create havoc on Ontario roads - frigid Montreal

Carnage on the 400 series of Highways in Ontario. This wreck involving 100 cars was south of Barrie. (CTV)

Multiple snow squalls along a sharp arctic front caused a mess on Ontario roads during the morning commute on Thursday spreading into southern Quebec last evening. A wall of snow and wind pushed off Georgian Bay yesterday morning engulfing Highway 400 south of Barrie, creating zero visibility. Nearly 100 cars were involved in the quick wreck closing the highway for most of the day. Three people were taken to hospital while others were treated at the scene. Buses were brought in to protect drivers and passengers form the extreme cold that has returned to Quebec and Ontario. The front arrived in Montreal late last evening with a series of heavy squalls putting down a quick 2-5cm of snow from the South Shore and here on L'Ile Perrot across the Townships and down to the US border. Gusty winds and blinding snow made travel last night south of the city challenging for a few hours.

A spectacular shot of a snow squall advancing on the northern GTA on Thursday. As we always warn, you can really see how it can go from sunshine to a whiteout in seconds. (CTV)

This morning skies have cleared and it is just plain cold again. I have -19C (-2F) here on L'Ile Perrot and that seems to be a popular temperature around southern Quebec and eastern Ontario. The wind is making it feel like -29C (-20F). Windchill advisories are in place for portions of Ontario and New York but none here in Montreal. I guess we are just too tough for the cold now. Anyway you look at it temperatures are cold, running about 10 to 15 degrees below the normal high/low for late February. It will be sunny today but only make it to -12C. Another weak clipper system and cold front will bring light snow to the region on Saturday into Sunday with perhaps 2-5cm. The main storm track will remain well to the south of southern Quebec over Pennsylvania. Temperatures will warm briefly on Saturday to -4C before a cool down Sunday.

4th warmest January on record around the globe

Just another of the endless accidents this winter caused by blowing snow. This one, involving 8 trucks, has closed the 401 near Cobourg, Ontario, Wednesday, February 26. (CTV News) 

There are just a couple of days left in February it what has been a relentless winter. While many have us have complained about the frigid cold, and with reason, it appears January was not so cold after all, at least globally. According to the National Climatic Data Centre, a branch of NOAA in the US, January was the 4th warmest on record globally dating back to 1880. The average temperature of land and sea was 12.7C or 0.65C above the 20 year average. Landmass areas were 1.17C above the long term average of 2.8C. The warmest places were where you would expect the coldest temperatures to be found, Greenland, Western Canada and Alaska. Portions of Brazil and South Africa also had record warmth. It also marked the 38th consecutive January and 347th consecutive month above the long term averages. Global Warming?Food for thought for sure.

Montreal for comparison had an average temperature of -10.2C for January compared to the normal of -9.7C. There were wild swings in the extremes which likely wore us all down including -27.3C for a low and plus 7.3C for a high. Not so good for roads, cars, pets and people. February has actually been consistently colder in Montreal so it will be interesting to see where the month ranks once we tally up the numbers.

This morning we are looking at a light dusting of snow across southern Quebec as an arctic front moves across the region. Strong winds behind the front will reach 30-50km/h and will cause some blowing snow issues on off island roads. Already this morning a major accident near Cobourg, Ontario on the 401 is being blamed on the snow. More squalls will lift off of Lake Ontario making travel in that area dangerous at times. The snow here will taper off with just a few flurries and cold with highs near -10C. Cold overnight lows of -16C tonight will be followed by more light snow Thursday, windy again at -10C. The weekend looks unsettled with light snow and continuing cold with lows near -20C in Montreal and as cold as -30C elsewhere in the province. It looks like it may warm to above the 0C mark by the end of next week. Keep in mind that March historically has had our biggest and most disruptive snowstorms. Time will tell if this year holds another for Montreal.

Winter returns to southern Quebec & Ontario

Cold weather will dominate the forecast for the rest of this week and well into the next one as arctic high pressure drives frigid air south. Environment Canada has posted a special weather statement for the province indicating very cold air and windchill values for the balance of the week. Temperatures this morning are hovering around -15C in southern Quebec, but a decent west wind is making it feel as cold as the minus 20's. It will be a very cold week with temperatures running 5-10 degrees below normal. We can also expect clouds and a few flurries as weak disturbances move across the region. The first of these today will give some light snow this evening and especially early Wednesday. A few centimetres may fall locally. More light snow is forecast for Thursday with another couple of centimetres. Temperatures will remain cold with low near -20C and daytime highs at best -10C for Montreal. At this time no big storms are on the horizon.

Temperatures drop to well below normal this week

It was a beautiful weekend in southern Quebec including the Bishop's University Campus in Lennoxville. The sunshine and mild temperatures began to slowly eat away at the piles of snow in the Townships. (Photo: Maggie Lowson)

It was a very mild weekend in southern Quebec with warm sunshine and high temperatures well above freezing in the plus 4 or 5C range. Lots of sunshine resulted in plenty of melting with the first all out assault on the snow pack in over a month. It was windy with gusts at Trudeau Airport up to 80km/h on Saturday, much lighter Sunday up to 50km/h. Today will be another breezy day out of the southwest up to 40km/h and much colder with high temperatures pretty much where they are currently, -7C. It is absolutely frigid on the Prairies for late February and some of that cold air will begin to filter into eastern Canada this week. This morning Regina is -34C, Saskatoon -31C and Edmonton -27C.

It will get progressively colder each day this week in Montreal with a continued threat for light snow showers or flurries. No big accumulations are expected with the best chance of measurable snow on Wednesday morning when an arctic boundary crosses the St. Lawrence Valley. There could be a brief snow squall, I will get a better estimate of the timing as we get closer. In the meantime temperatures will range from -7C for highs to -12C for lows. Once we get into the colder air by Wednesday, lows will drop into the -20's through the end of the week with cold daytime highs in the high minus teens.

Rainy windy Friday - turning much colder this weekend

This same storm that is giving Montreal rain is producing big thunderstorms up and down the east coast. This spectacular shot via Twitter was taken in downtown Nashville Thursday afternoon.

Freezing rain warnings remain posted for the entire area, however it has warmed above freezing south of the St. Lawrence River, so they should expire in those areas soon. Low pressure this morning is over Wisconsin with a very long warm front to the east across Ontario and New York State. The front will attempt to lift north of Montreal this morning. Precipitation has overspread the area in the form of freezing rain or rain. I am showing rain here on L'Ile Perrot at 1C (33F) so I think icing will be limited. However as I have mentioned, the ground remains cold so ice can be hiding under any puddle! It will be a mild and windy day with plenty of rain around, up to 25mm (1 inch) possible, high 5C (41F). Winds will increase as well today from 50-80km/h out of the southwest by afternoon. The rain will taper to a few flurries tonight as a cold front crosses the region. There may be a few heavier showers along the front and still the possibility of a rumble of thunder. Thunder was reported in Toronto late last night along the warm front.

Saturday will be another windy, mild day as the storm system stalls across central Quebec. Montreal will have one more warm day before another cold snap starts by Sunday. The high Saturday will be 4C but only -3C on Sunday. Next week looks very cold with highs in the -6 to -10C range and very cold overnight lows down to -18C.

This system has had widespread impacts with cold snowy weather across northwest Ontario and the upper Midwest, and severe thunderstorms with tornadoes across the Ohio Valley southward to the Gulf Coast.

Big 24 hour thaw for Montreal

FREEZING RAIN WARNING
A major storm is taking shape over the central US plains today and is expected to lift northward towards the central Great Lakes. After a sunny, mild day here in Montreal clouds will be on the increase this evening. Expect precipitation in the form of a mix of snow and freezing rain to begin after about 8pm this evening and continue overnight. I believe we will see a quick change to plain rain here in Montreal and points south to the US border and beyond. However north and east of Montreal as well as in the Ottawa Valley the freezing rain may last into the Friday morning commute. There will be lots of water and ice around on Friday morning so allow yourself extra time. Total precipitation will be significant with this storm with between 25-50mm (1-2 inches) expected across southern Ontario, southwest Quebec and northern New England. For this reason Environment Canada has posted a freezing rain warning for Montreal and the Ottawa Valley, with heavy rainfall warnings posted for southern and eastern Ontario. Temperatures will rise to 4C today and drop just below freezing to -1C tonight in Montreal. It will be 4C on Friday in the rain. By late Friday afternoon a very strong cold front will sweep the region with a few heavier showers and perhaps a rumble of thunder. Winds will be gusty on Friday out of the southwest up to 70km/h possible ahead of the cold front.

My concern as always with an elongated warm front, is just how quickly we can dislodge the cold air at the surface of the St. Lawrence Valley. I believe it will be fast this time with a quick transition over to plain rain, but you just never know, each front behaves so differently once it interacts with the valley. Keep in mind that we have a very cold surface and even when the temperatures go above freezing there will still be lots of ice around under the puddles.

Windy wet storm for Montreal by Friday

I want to welcome some of my new readers to the Valley Weather Blog via The Suburban website. I have been writing about the weather since I was about 10 years old, oh so long ago. This blog has been around since 2005. I bring to you a clean, uncomplicated view of the weather for Montreal, southern Quebec and many other parts of North America. Thank you for the read, enjoy and please send in any comments or weather photos you may have and I will share them with our readers.

Another storm system will impact the St. Lawrence Valley and southern Quebec late Thursday into Friday. Until then we are looking at much milder air in place today with perhaps our first high temperature above freezing in Montreal since January 18. There will be some wet snow today, not much accumulations, perhaps 1-2cm with a high of 1C (34F). On Thursday weak high pressure will be in place with partial sunshine before the clouds thicken by late in the day. Temperatures will again be mild with a high of 2C (36F) overnight lows below freezing to -3C (27F).

Another winter storm just missed Montreal on Tuesday with only 1-3cm of snow here. The storm pounded southern New England and Atlantic Canada again with as much as 30cm of snow. Above is Portsmouth, New Hampshire yesterday. Photo: Seacoast Online

Tomorrow night Montreal will begin to be influenced by strong low pressure that is forecast to develop over Colorado and move towards the central Great Lakes. A long warm front will approach Montreal with snow and freezing rain developing in the evening and lasting into the overnight from Montreal south and well into Friday north and east of the city. The wintry precipitation should change over to rain for most of us in southern Ontario and Quebec but areas north of the St. Lawrence Valley could see a prolonged period of freezing rain. Travel early Friday may be impacted. We are expecting 25mm of precipitation in various forms. I will try to nail down the amount and exact timing as the event draw closer. It will be mild on Friday with a high of 4C (39F). A strong cold front will sweep the area late on Friday with very strong and gusty winds and some isolated heavy rain showers. There may even be some thunder late Friday. This storm will become another big news-maker as the cold front produces some severe thunderstorms from the Ohio Valley into the deep southern US Thursday and Friday.

A little snow followed by much needed melting

Thunderstorms by late Thursday and Friday could stretch from Ontario to the Gulf Coast just days after heavy snow. The winter of 2013-2014 certainly has been anything but boring.

It is a windy and chilly morning in Montreal as low pressure and an associated warm front move south of the city. Gusty winds have developed along with some snow. I expect around 2-5cm for Montreal in the next few hours. There will also be some blowing snow as northeast winds gust to 40km/h. Before the cloud cover moved in last evening we managed another frigid night with the temperature hitting -20C just after midnight here on L'Ile Perrot. From that point it has slowly risen and that trend will continue today. Look for a high temperature near -3C today and up above freezing to plus 1 or 2C Wednesday. More flurries and perhaps some freezing drizzle overnight into Wednesday as the warm front lifts north of the city. By Friday we will be in the mild air with showers and temperatures up to 4C. The weekend at this time looks cooler as a potent cold front sweeps the region late in the day Friday. That front is expected to produce a round of thunderstorms believe it or not from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. Perhaps we may hear a rumble of thunder in Montreal as well in what has been an odd winter. I will have more details on that later.

Warmer week ahead for southern Quebec

Clearing away the 30cm of snow at the Champlain Centre in Plattsburgh, NY on Saturday. The Valentines Day storm has cut deeper into exhausted snow removal budgets. The winter of 2013-2014 is proving costly for many parts of Canada and the US in the form of thousands of flight cancellations, power outages, heating costs and loss of income. (ValleyWX Photo)

It is another cold morning here in Montreal, currently -17C (2F) at my home, but there is some good news on the horizon. We are finally seeing hints of a pattern change after what has been one long and cold winter. Officially Montreal has not gone above 0C (32F) in the month of February. As we all know, with the exception of one week in January, most of this winter has been spent well below freezing. That is about to change this week as a warmer southwest flow of air begins to make its mark as early as this evening. After a sunny and cold day today at -10C (14F), temperatures will only drop to -14C (7F) tonight and moderate to near freezing on Tuesday. A little light snow is possible as a system slides to our south on Tuesday with accumulations of 2-5cm possible across the area including eastern Ontario. By Wednesday the warmer air will be well established with highs near plus 3C (39F) and a few showers or flurries. It will remain mild well into the weekend with sunshine Thursday followed by more showers on Friday.

Over the weekend another storm developed and passed well south and east of Montreal, this time sparring southern Quebec with just a few flurries and gusty winds. It rapidly deepened into a major blizzard affecting the New England Coast and Eastern Canada. Parts of New Brunswick and P.E.I. reported between 30 to 40cm of snow with winds gusting over 80km/h. In Newfoundland snow and freezing rain were accompanied by fierce winds, a peak gust of 170km/h was reported at Wreckhouse, with 124km/h at Cape Race.

20-40cm snowstorm for Southern Quebec

L'Ile Perrot has recorded 15cm of snow since midnight. (ValleyWX)

So what looked to be a near miss two days ago will turn into a 25cm Valentines Day snowstorm for Montreal. You have to love weather forecasting in southern Quebec. As with any coastal storm, a track change of 50km east or west can spell a huge difference in what you see at the surface. We are seeing that this morning with a sharp cutoff in snow as you move northwest of Montreal into the Ottawa Valley. Here on L'Ile Perrot I have measured 15cm (6") since midnight including 5cm (2") between 4am and 6:30am. Overnight we had strong northeast winds up to 65km/h they have since backed off to the northwest and down to 30km/h. They will gust to 50km/h today causing blowing snow with visibility often under 1km. The heavy snow will taper off by noon with storm totals of 15cm for eastern Ontario, up to 25cm here in Montreal and 30-50cm in the Townships, Quebec City and the Gaspe region. The snow has produced the usual problems on the roads in southern Quebec along with a fair amount of school closings, oddly north of the city where they have had less snow. There are numerous delays and cancellations at Trudeau Airport with their website advising you to call ahead.

Strong low pressure on the Maine coast this morning is spiraling precipitation down the St. Lawrence Valley. The barometric pressure has been falling rapidly for the last several hours indicating a deepening storm, it is currently 990mb here at my home. Temperatures are thankfully mild at -3C, where they should remain for most of the day. It looks like another weak system will bring 2 or 3cm of snow for Saturday before we clear out for a calm and cold Sunday.

Happy Valentine's Day everybody, be safe out there.

Winter Storm Update

Sat image of major Nor'Easter centered east of Atlantic City Thursday evening. Snow has fallen from Georgia to Atlantic Canada including Montreal.

Strong low pressure is located off the Jersey Shore near Atlantic City this evening. The system is forecast to deepen rapidly as it lifts towards Cape Cod and then off into Atlantic Canada. Heavy snow has been falling across portions of the middle Atlantic states into New England today. As much as 60cm (2 feet) has fallen in some Virginia and Maryland locations. The steady snow is moving into Montreal as of 8pm with 10-15cm forecast by morning. A snowfall warning has been posted for Montreal and most of southern Quebec. Winds are increasing out of the northeast and will gust between 40-60km/h overnight in Montreal, and up to 100km/h in Quebec City. Widespread blowing snow is forecast along the entire St. Lawrence Valley of Quebec with travel not recommended south and east of Montreal. As much as 50cm may fall in Sherbrooke and the Townships into northern Vermont before the snow tapers off later Friday.

A more westerly track equals snow for Montreal

SNOWFALL WARNING POSTED FOR METRO MONTREAL @ 11:30AM

SNOW AMOUNTS FORECAST:
Quebec City - Townships - Burlington - Plattsburgh 15-30cm (6-12")
Vaudreuil - South Shore 10-15cm (4-6")
Montreal 15cm (6")
Cornwall 5-10cm (2-4")
Kemptville 2-5cm (1-2")

This has been one harsh winter in so many places. The photo above from Global News Regina is a major accident involving 6 vehicles (including the Ambulance) on the Trans Canada Highway near Pense, Saskatchewan. The road was closed between Moose Jaw and Regina for hours Wednesday. 

Winter storm warnings are in effect for Quebec City and the Eastern Townships as well as all of Vermont and eastern New York. The much advertised winter storm (at least on this Blog) will arrive later today and into the overnight hours. Strong low pressure that has given the southern US a major ice and snow storm will lift from Cape Hatteras northeast to Cape Cod overnight and into Atlantic Canada on Friday. Clouds will increase in Montreal today along with a strengthening northeast wind. The snow starts this evening and will last until about noon on Friday. There will be a sharp cutoff in amounts as you head north and west but look for a good 5-10cm for metro Montreal with as much as 15cm across the South Shore and up to 30cm in the Townships and Quebec City. While no warnings are in effect for Montreal at this time, strong winds, up to 60km/h will cause considerable blowing and drifting snow on off island highways. Further east the heavy snow will be accompanied by winds up to 100km/h around Quebec City. I would advise not to travel south or east tonight and Friday.

Eastern Ontario has a special weather statement in place for snow and wind overnight with about 5cm possible. Travel down the 401 towards Cornwall and Prescott will be tricky but once west of the 416, it should be much better. Temperatures are cold again this morning at -20C here on L'Ile Perrot. Look for highs around -10C today warming overnight tonight to -4C or so in the snow by Friday.

The weather has been nasty in so many places. Yesterday this same storm created traffic gridlock on many North Carolina Highways including Raleigh and Charlotte and virtually shut down Atlanta. Ice covered trees and power lines came crashing down across Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas with hundreds of thousands in the dark.

Meanwhile snow and blowing snow from a clipper system out west created dangerous travel across the southern Prairies with roads closed in Saskatchewan and numerous major accidents with injuries.

Icy cold morning - major Nor'Easter to miss Montreal

A Transport Quebec image of ice fog lifting off the St. Lawrence River onto Highway 20 near L'Ile Perrot.

It is another frigid morning in Montreal with the temperature down to -25C (-13F) here on L'Ile Perrot. That cold has caused traffic problems on bridges leading to the island of Montreal. The bridge connecting L'Ile Perrot to Montreal was blocked this morning by a major accident. Other bridges in the city are reporting black ice as fog lifts off the St. Lawrence River. It will be another sunny, cold day with highs near -10C. Cold again tonight dropping close to -20C once again and sunny Thursday through increasing afternoon clouds, milder at -5C.

At this time it looks like a near miss for Montreal. That could change so stay tuned.

Coastal Storm Update
Our attention then turns to a developing winter storm that will become a big news maker across the deep south and along the US east coast and finally into Atlantic Canada. This will be a deepening storm becoming a full fledged Nor'Easter by the time it reaches the middle Atlantic states. Already this morning a major ice storm is unfolding across Georgia and portions of the Carolinas. Up to one inch of ice is forecast with widespread power outages expected. Winter storm warnings for heavy snow are up as far north as eastern Vermont. While recent models have trended a little west with the track of the storm, it still looks like the snow will just miss Montreal. How close? Well warnings are in effect up to the Quebec border with snow forecast in Quebec City and Sherbrooke but none for Montreal at this time. That could change so keep in touch with the latest forecast. The time frame for the snow locally will be Thursday night and Friday. It will be windy across the entire forecast region with snow from the international border south and east. Blizzard conditions are likely from New Hampshire and Maine into New Brunswick and the Gaspe region of eastern Quebec. Travel will be very poor in those regions.

Sunny - cold week ahead

High pressure will dominate our weather through Thursday with sunshine, but cold weather. This morning the temperature has dropped to -20C here on L'Ile Perrot with readings as cold as -25C in St Jerome. Nothing but sunshine and chilly temperatures for most of this week. The high today will be near -11C. The good news is that the sun is feeling stronger and warmer these days. The bad news is it is colder than normal and we have piles of snow on the landscape that looks like it will never leave. I know I have a lawn underneath the snow, but i have not seen it since late November.

AcuWeather.com potential track for this weeks storm. Again a near miss for Montreal.

Valentines Day Storm?
A big weather story over the next few days will be a developing winter storm over the Gulf Coast states that will spread snow and freezing rain from Texas to Georgia today and then snow from the Carolinas to New England by late Thursday. Atlanta and Dallas are looking at significant ice once again. As I mentioned yesterday, there is still not a solid forecast track for this latest storm, but most scenarios carry the center too far south and east of the St. Lawrence Valley for any appreciable snowfall. It will likely be cloudy on Friday with northeast winds and perhaps a few flurries here in Montreal. The snow will fall across Vermont and points east including the Gaspe and Atlantic Canada. This could be a big storm for places like Philadelphia, New York, Boston and Halifax with perhaps 30cm (1 foot) of wind driven snow. Coastal areas may change over to rain or a mix. We will need to look at later model runs to determine a forecast, but if the same pattern that has been in place all winter continues, the storm will miss Montreal.

Sunshine & cold to start week

Looking out over the frozen Vaudreuil Bay towards the Island of Montreal on Sunday. The ice is quite thick this year with lots of skating and ice fishing taking place over the weekend. (ValleyWX)

There is not a whole lot to talk about as far as Montreal weather is concerned this morning. It is another cold Monday with current temperatures between -14C and -18C across southern Quebec. Between 1-2cm of very fluffy light snow fell overnight with clearing skies now and sunshine expected all day today. It will be cold with highs no better than -8C. It will drop to -18C tonight and up to -11C on Tuesday with lots of sun. 

The sunshine will last well into Thursday before a winter storm takes shape along the Eastern Seaboard. The forecast for this system at this time is all over the place with a track well out into the Atlantic to one that hugs the coast. Either scenario will likely keep Montreal and eastern Ontario on the western edge of the heavier snowfall. It will snow Friday but it could just be a few centimeters here in the St. Lawrence Valley with more to the south and east. Later computer model runs should help solidify a track as well as the location and intensity of  the precipitation.

Breezy chilly weekend for Quebec - Ontario

It looks like we are into a quiet weather period for Montreal and southern Quebec. A few flurries occurred overnight as the remnants of a Lake Ontario snow band drifted down the St. Lawrence Valley. It put down several centimeters in the 401 corridor, but just a dusting here in Montreal. Today will be sunny, but breezy southwest winds up to 50km/h may blow around some of the new snow as well as make the -8C high feel much colder. Clear skies tonight along with more sunshine for Saturday, lows -12C highs -8C.

We are dealing with two different outlooks in the extended forecast. The Environment Canada forecast for Montreal is looking at several days of sunny, cold weather with little to no precipitation through the end of next week. As always they take a very safe route in public forecasting of the weather here in Quebec. Looking at our neighboring National Weather Service office in Burlington, Vermont, indications are that a potent trough could bring some light snow late Saturday into Sunday, so be aware of that. Beyond that an Arctic boundary will cross the region late Monday with a period of heavier snow and perhaps a squall or two possible. Deeper into next week some computer models are indicating an east coast storm by Thursday. It is way out there but with winter travel so precarious at best, thought my readers would like a heads up. As always forecasts change by the minute, and this has been a challenging winter to forecast to say the least.

***If you are heading down the 401 today to Toronto or south on Interstate 81 to Syracuse NY, be aware of a lake effect snow warning. Snow squalls are affecting those areas especially west of Brockville on Highway 401.

Back to the cold for Montreal

Clearing the light 5cm snowfall from Pincourt roads here on L'Ile Perrot. ValleyWX

A warm day would be nice, I mean really warm, but that is not in our future anytime soon. After the 5-7cm snowfall in Montreal on Wednesday, skies cleared out overnight and the temperature responded dropping to -20C currently. Look for sunshine today and a high of -10C. Some clouds and flurries tonight but remaining chilly around -15C. Friday is the same with partly cloudy skies, a few flurries and highs no better than -8C but with a nasty southwest wind to 50km/h producing more blowing snow especially off island.

Yesterdays storm behaved as expected passing across southern New England with the moderate and even heavy snow staying just south of Montreal along the 401 and US border. Amounts ranged from a record breaking 15cm at Pearson in Toronto to as much as 20-25cm in Burlington, Vermont and Plattsburgh NY. That system moved rapidly off the Atlantic Coast and is now affecting portions of the Maritimes and Newfoundland. Looking ahead we have several coastal storms expected over the next 10 days, but they are expected at this time to remain well to our south and east. It will remain cold with below normal temperatures into next week.

Major storm skirts region

AP Photo of big snow clearing operations in Kansas. Topeka had a record (31cm) 12.5 inches of snow on Tuesday.

Snow has started falling in Montreal at 8am this morning with 5-10cm forecast. Low pressure over the Ohio Valley will move east across southern New England today and into the Atlantic. Snow is falling across a wide area from the Midwest into Ontario and extreme southern Quebec. A winter storm warning is in effect for all of Vermont and into the Eastern Townships today for 15-25cm of snow. As mentioned Montreal will remain on the northern fringe of the system with light snow tapering off by late this afternoon. Temperatures will be around -6C today.

The snow is also falling across the major cities of the US Northeast, so travel delays are increasing. Thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed including many from Trudeau Airport in Montreal. The airlines are asking that you call ahead before leaving for the airport. It will be just another one of the many long snowy days for winter weary residents of the central, northeast US and eastern Canada. South of the snow, freezing rain has been coating everything across the middle Atlantic southwest into Tennessee and Arkansas. Numerous trees and power lines are reported down with power outages mounting.

In Ontario snow is falling across the 401 corridor from Windsor to the Quebec border producing poor driving conditions. Gusty winds out of the northeast are causing blowing and drifting snow. Delays are also reported at Pearson Airport in Toronto.

Some snow Ontario & Quebec

Montreal remains just on the northern edge of this current winter storm. (AccuWeather)

A fast moving winter storm will track from the southern US plains across southern New England today and Wednesday spreading snow across extreme southern Ontario and Quebec. After a partly cloudy day today with a few flurries, clouds will thicken tonight with snow starting overnight in Ontario and by early morning here in Montreal. The snow will fall all day and taper by evening. Amounts will be fairly light here in Montreal, less than 5cm (2 inches). Further southwest 5-15cm (2-6 inches) is expected from Brockville to Windsor along the 401. Travel will be less than ideal in those regions tomorrow. South of Montreal is where the main storm will occur with 15-30cm (6-12 inches) forecast for portions of southern Vermont and central New York into New Hampshire. A winter storm warning is posted for those regions with winter weather advisories for lesser amounts of snow up to the Canadian border. It all clears out by Thursday with sunny cold weather into this upcoming weekend.

Temperatures last night fell rapidly here on L'Ile Perrot, down to -16C (4F) at 2am but cloud cover stopped the free fall and we are currently at -11C (12F). The high today will be -6C (21F). Looking ahead into Sunday another storm in a very active pattern - but it looks like the path of these systems will continue to be well south of Montreal leaving us on the edge. Expecting just flurries at this time and cold once again.

Six weeks of winter or perhaps more for Montreal

The exact moment when Phil, despite thick cloud cover, somehow saw his shadow! (VisitPA.com)

Not surprising in a year that has seen so much winter weather, our furry little forecasters predicted six more weeks of winter yesterday. There are numerous groundhogs out there, but the two "main players" Wiarton Willie in Ontario and Punxsutawney Phil in Pennsylvania, both predicted more of this agonizing winter. Now as we all know here in Canada, six more weeks of winter is no big deal, that basically takes us to where winter would begin to wind down anyway. We also are well aware that us usually lasts beyond that and into April. With the piles of snow in my front yard measuring several feet, it would take a thaw the entire month of February just to melt it away. Sadly that won't happen with below freezing temperatures predicted for the foreseeable future as well as several chances for more snow.

MORE SNOW
Over the weekend low pressure brought about 12-15cm (5-6") of snow to Montreal Saturday night. This morning we are a chilly -13C (9F) with forecast highs under sunny skies today and Tuesday expected near -7C (19F) in Montreal. A gathering storm is forecast to develop over the southern plains today and take a trek northeast across southern New England by Wednesday. This path leaves southern Quebec and Ontario and the northern edge of the heaviest snow. At this time snow and gusty northeast winds are forecast for Wednesday, with 5-10cm expected in Montreal and Ottawa. South of us more snow is forecast with up to 20cm (8 inches) in NY and Vermont. A winter storm watch has been posted there, they may be needed for the Townships as well later today.

A final note, after all the fuss in Atlanta last week over 2-3 inches of snow, the city reached a record high of 73F (23C) on Sunday. That must be nice, all the snow gone in one week. It will take a little longer for that to occur in Montreal, sad to say.

January over - Super Groundhog Sunday

The famous Pennsylvania Groundhog Phil and his Ontario counterpart Wiarton Willie will both try to predict an end to this wacky - frigid winter on Sunday morning. www.groundhog.org

Well is would seem we are about to make it through another January in Montreal. It was a bizarre one to say the least with frigid cold surrounding one week of well above normal temperatures, melting snow and flooding. Add to that wicked winds for most of this past week, including overnight when a frontal system produced a surprise gust to 79km/h at Trudeau Airport around 2:30am. It was also a relatively tame month in the snow department with only about 15cm (6 inches) for the entire month. What has fallen over December and January remains piled high everywhere.

We will begin to add to those numbers as February begins with several snowy low pressure areas expected over the next week to 10 days. Today will be breezy and mild as a frontal system clears the area and is replaced by high pressure for the rest of the day and into Saturday morning. Temperatures will warm to -1C today and drop off to -10C tonight. On Saturday clouds will thicken early as a low pressure area moves down the St. Lawrence Valley. Snow will develop by noon and continue into Sunday morning before skies clear out Sunday afternoon. Accumulations will range from 5cm to as much as 15cm north of the city. We then get a break for Monday and Tuesday with seasonable cold temperatures. Another storm may affect Montreal and southern Quebec by next Wednesday. The track and intensity are yet to be determined but the likelihood of some snow is beginning to increase.

Super Groundhog Sunday
This is the weekend when both Punsxsutawney Phil, Wiarton Willie and Peyton Manning all come out to play on the same day. We shall see if winter will last or end early, my bet is the lasting part this year regardless of what the furry forecaster says. As far as the Super Bowl goes, it will be played in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in a cold weather stadium, for the first time. The weather looks decent for February in metro New York. On Sunday a cold front is expected with clouds and scattered showers, but a rather mild high of between 45 to 48F (5 to 8C) by game time.

Warmer weather for Montreal

We are finally going to see a warming trend over the next 48 hours with a broad southwest flow bringing in a much needed break from the frigid cold. Today will be a rather docile day with a few flurries around and partly cloudy skies. Montreal should make it to -6C, we are currently -13C. Winds will be lighter today, thankfully, after three days of blowing and drifting snow across areas highways. The break from the wind will be short lived as a southwest flow up to 50km/h will develop this evening ahead of a weak front. Some light snow overnight and Friday is possible with perhaps 1-3cm. Temperatures on Friday and over the weekend will be even milder, getting close to the freezing point. Another frontal boundary and low pressure area will cross southern Quebec late Saturday with perhaps some measurable snow. At this time it looks like 5-10cm before skies clear out for the big event Sunday, no not the Superbowl, Groundhog Day!

This has to be one of my favorite shots form the southern snowstorm. It is a picture of a wild horse along the northern Outer Banks on the Atlantic Ocean near Corolla, North Carolina. I have my own pictures I have taken of the horses but none this beautiful. (OBX Facebook Page)

The deep south, particularly Atlanta, is still trying to recover from the icy 5-8cm (2-3") "snowstorm" on Tuesday. Thousands were trapped in their cars or forced to sleep in big box stores like Home Depot and Publix overnight. Many school children spent two nights at school. In a laughable twist, the Mayor of Atlanta and Governor of Georgia are trying to blame The National Weather Service for the fiasco on the highways. Nice try, but the timeline shows the warnings and forecast were nearly perfect. Weather forecasting is not black or white, there is often a large grey area. In any event they have to look elsewhere for the blame, it was not the forecasters this time.

Deep - Deep Southern Snowstorm

Gridlock in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia on Tuesday afternoon.

The cold air we have had for most of January managed to find its way to the Gulf Coast of the US yesterday with snow and ice accumulating in places like New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile and Atlanta. Temperatures more suited for Quebec spread across the deep south with readings from 0C (32F) to as cold as -10C (14F). It was actually warmer in Alaska than the Florida Panhandle. The snow and ice created treacherous driving in communities unable to deal with it. In Atlanta several inches of snow froze over highways and clogged all major roads. Some drivers remained trapped in their vehicles in sub freezing temperatures for up to 18 hours. This included students stuck on school buses in the mess. Over 900 accidents were reported in Atlanta alone. A state of emergency was declared in both Georgia and Alabama. Shelters were established to help warm stranded drivers. In Alabama and Mississippi it was much the same with trucks and cars skidding into ditches and blocking roads. The snow spread north overnight into North Carolina and Virginia with 8-10 inches reported as far north as Norfolk. In my home away from home the Outer Banks, snow covered the normal pristine dunes and beaches. The snow will end today with the cold and gusty north winds beginning to ease by the weekend.

"In the end 2-3.5 inches hit central Georgia. That may not sound like much, but it's usually how much snow falls in the region in a whole year," said CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward.

ONTARIO & QUEBEC
In Eastern Ontario yesterday snow squalls off Lake Ontario dumped a band of heavy snow from Prince Edward County as far northeast as Brockville. Even this morning travel is not good on that stretch of the 401 where the St. Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario. Some of that moisture will work its way into Montreal today with clouds and flurries. Winds will remain gusty up to 50km/h and it will be cold, but not frigid, up to -10C.

The 401 near Kingston on Tuesday afternoon. Terrible driving again! (TWN)

Wind and snow create chaos on Quebec - Ontario roads

Blowing snow reducing visibility in St Laurent yesterday afternoon. (ValleyWX)

Yesterday was a day to forget on Quebec and Ontario roads. At one point in the afternoon just about every major route out of Montreal was either blocked or completely closed by accidents. Nearly 200 were reported in the region, many serious including multiple vehicles north and south of the city. Three fatalities were reported, 2 near Quebec City and one near my home just west of Montreal on Highway 30 in Vaudreuil/Dorion. An Alberta Clipper with a little more energy than expected put down about 5-10cm (2-4 inches) of snow during the morning commute. That in itself created very poor driving with numerous delays and small incidents. The big wrecks followed along a trailing arctic front that plowed across the city around 11am, picking up the fresh powdery snow and creating a blinding blizzard. Those conditions lasted for several hours with winds reaching 80km/h in Montreal, stronger south of the city.

One of hundreds of accidents on Quebec and Ontario roads on Monday. This one involved 40 cars near Ste Adele with many injuries. (CTV)

I feel bad, it was a miss on my part. I did not expect the front to be so potent. Neither did Environment Canada, because the blowing snow warning was issued after the event started and worth many already trapped on dangerous roads. In any event it has been an energy draining month with relentless wind and cold, long commutes and lots of accidents. Thankfully very little snow, only 15cm so far this month at Dorval. But as we have seen it does not take much to create chaos.

DEEP SOUTHERN STORM
A winter storm is forecast to spread snow and ice across the normally warm states of Florida and Mississippi today with as much as 1-3 inches forecast. The storm will then impact Georgia and Carolinas with snow and freezing rain. Winter Storm and Ice Warnings stretch from the Florida Panhandle to the Outer Banks and Virginia. This will be a high impact event affecting regions that are unable to deal with the snow and cold. If this keeps up the Groundhog will need security!

Terrible day on Montreal - Quebec - Ontario highways

Firefighters examine the carnage on Highway 15 near St Adele. (Global News)

Strong winds along and behind an arctic cold front produced widespread blowing snow today. Near zero visibility in 60-80km/h wind gusts during the middle part of the day produced numerous accidents and road closures. Highway 15 south of Montreal near St. Philippe was the site of one multi-vehicle accident as was the Laurentian Autoroute north of Montreal near St Adele. The St Adele crash involved over 40 vehicles with numerous injuries, three critical. Firefighters used the Jaws of Life to free nearly 30 drivers. Late today another major collision closed Highway 132 on the South Shore near Matte Blvd in Brossard. Other major accidents were reported on Highway 40 west of Montreal, Highway 417 in North Glengarry, Ontario and the Highway 416 south of Ottawa. Two fatalities were reported in collisions east of Quebec City.

Highway 416 south of Ottawa this morning.

Potent clipper - arctic front sweep city

A slow drive from L'Ile Perrot this morning. It took two hours to go about 30km.

A poorly timed clipper and arctic front is sweeping Montreal this morning, making a mess of the commute. An area of snow moved across the island of Montreal with between 5-10cm falling since 5am. Poor visibility and icy roads have created a rash of accidents on the highways. The front should clear Montreal by noon. Strong gusty winds between 50 - 70km/h will create lots of blowing and drifting snow this afternoon, especially off island south and west of the city. In addition frigid temperatures will return, we are currently at -14C, and will drop to -22C with dangerous wind chill values overnight. Tuesday will be sunny and cold. Poor road conditions are also occurring in other parts of the province as well as Ontario.

A break from the cold - some snow & wind Saturday

Montreal and portions of Ontario and southern Quebec will get a break from this intense cold on Saturday. But before that we have another frigid morning in the city with current temperatures at -24C. A stiff breeze is making it feel like -30C or lower. It was another quick walk with my puppy, she was just as happy as I was to end it. It has been a miserable month, even with the thaw in the middle, this cold really wears you down. Hydro Quebec reported record consumption on Wednesday morning. The cold has also lead to a rash of fires in Quebec, as is the case in this weather, they are very difficult for firefighters, dealing with intense cold.

The break will come at  a price on Saturday as a windy Alberta Clipper moves from the Great Lakes across Quebec. A period of snow will develop Saturday and be blown around by some gusty winds. The heaviest snow will fall closer to the Great Lakes and Ontario where 5-15cm is possible, here in southern Quebec 2 to perhaps 5cm. It will not be a big snowfall but gusty winds between 50 and 80km/h will blow it around, again especially in Ontario. Temperatures will rise today and tonight and reach a respectable -5C on Saturday. It will turn colder on Sunday so enjoy the one day reprieve. A couple of arctic fronts late Saturday and again late Sunday will put us back in the deep freeze by Monday morning.

Frigid morning in Montreal

It is the coldest morning so far this winter at -27.2C (-17F) currently here at my home in southwest metro Montreal. Temperatures are cold everywhere with -35C (-31F) at both Cornwall/Massena and Huntingdon along the US border. Hydro Quebec is asking us to conserve power during the peak hours of 6-9am and 5-8pm as they are expecting record consumption in this cold wave. There is no relief this week with arctic high pressure well in control. Sunshine will prevail with a light breeze and a high of only -19C (-2F) today. Another frigid night is on tap for the entire area with lows down to -25C in the city and as cold as -30C in the suburbs. Thursday is the same as today, -19C with sunshine. There will be a brief warm up over the weekend with temperatures nudging up to -10C or so. Along with the "warmer" weather will be a chance for snow both Saturday and Sunday. This will come from two clipper systems, so expect a general 5-10cm snowfall, perhaps more locally. Not a big storm but as we saw Monday in Montreal, it does not take much to mess up traffic. We dive back into the deep freeze next Monday with another surge of arctic air heading south. Lots of winter left to go folks, so don't think this is over yet, as many thought last week with our prolonged thaw.

Snow clearing operations underway at Reagan National in Washington DC on Tuesday. Despite the best efforts of airports, thousands of flights were cancelled across the northeast including Montreal. (Getty Images)

Speaking of delays, thousands of  flights across North America have been delayed or cancelled as a result of 8-18 inches of snow, strong winds and extreme cold from Norfolk, Virginia north into Halifax and Atlantic Canada. Most major northeast US cities were impacted on Tuesday with Philadelphia and New York receiving 10 inches of snow. The storm responsible for all the weather is off the coast of Cape Cod this morning moving northeast towards Nova Scotia. Blizzard warnings are posted for many regions of Atlantic Canada today.

Brutal cold returns to Quebec - major snowstorm US northeast

Frigid arctic air is well established across Quebec and Ontario this morning with the thaw a fleeting memory. The mercury here on L'Ile Perrot dropped to -24C this morning with -26C in Ottawa. Wind chill readings are in the -30 to -35C range, and in many ways it feels colder than the start of this month. Amazing what a few above freezing days in January can do to your system. It will remain cold for the balance of the week with arctic high pressure in control of our weather. Windchill warnings are in effect for a large portion of Ontario and Quebec but not here in Montreal. Splitting hairs really as we will be just on the edge of the warning criteria. Means nothing, it is still cold out for all of us from Windsor to Quebec City. Sunshine with some clouds will prevail today with an increasing northeast breeze and highs no better than -19C. It will be frigid tonight down to at least -25C in Montreal.

Meanwhile the cold air has reached well into the US once again with many east coast cities remaining well below zero today. A clipper system moving well south of the lower Great Lakes will reach the Atlantic Coast and rapidly intensify. It will then move into the Atlantic well east of Cape Cod. This track favors a windy snowstorm for southern and coastal New England as well as Atlantic Canada. Winter storm warnings are in effect from Washington to Boston with 15-30cm (6-12 inches) forecast. Blizzard warnings are in effect for Cape Cod as well as Nova Scotia and PEI for up to 40cm of snow along with 50-100km/h winds. The storm will start later today and last well into Wednesday. Expect major travel delays if your plans take you to Boston, New York or Halifax.

Winter returns to Ontario & Quebec - cold windchills

An arctic boundary slipped south of Montreal this morning and into upstate New York. Cold air is now pouring into Ontario and Quebec after the mild thaw of last week. Along the front some decent snow squalls occurred late last evening but only dropped between 1-4cm of snow across the region. Light snow is still falling here on L'Ile Perrot as the cold air deepens. We started the night at around -2C and are currently at -12C. This will likely be out high for the day with temperatures continuing to drop to overnight lows of -23C by Tuesday morning. Precipitation should end and sunshine return by late in the day. Winds will be light to moderate at times with windchill readings around -30C by late this afternoon. Windchill advisories are in effect for the US side of the valley in upstate New York and for regions of Quebec well northwest of Montreal.

It will be a cold week with lows of -20 to -23C and daytime highs from -20C to -17C. It will warm a little on Friday ahead of another cold front approaching the region by late Saturday. At this time no major snowstorms are on the horizon for Montreal with just some nuisance snow expected next Saturday. This cold snap will not be as bad as the one to start the month, nevertheless cold air will push south right to the Gulf of Mexico with sub zero Celsius weather forecast to Florida. A coastal storm will brush the middle Atlantic and southern New England region Tuesday with perhaps 15cm (6 inches) of snow in places.

Colder weather this weekend with some snow for Quebec

A dip in the jet stream will allow for some much colder air to work its way into eastern Canada and the US over the next few days. Yesterday was another mild day across the region with highs around 2C and a decent amount of welcome sunshine through the middle hours of the day.

The trend will be to move away from these above normal temperatures and back towards a normal January/mid-winter pattern. It will not be as cold as it was to start the new year but it will be much colder than it has been. We start today with cloud cover and another week low pressure area moving west of Montreal. A few flurries and a mild high of 0C are forecast. On Saturday and Sunday a couple of stronger clipper type systems will move across the region with lots of clouds and periods of light snow with progressively colder weather. This will not be a storm in any sense of the word, but 3-8cm are possible by the end of the weekend in many areas, especially away from the city.

By Sunday night an arctic cold front will cross the region setting the stage for a few days next week with lows around -20C and highs around -15C in Montreal. After the above freezing weather and melting snow of this week, that will seem frightfully cold!

Winter to slowly return to southern Quebec & Ontario

After December and early January, it appeared that we were in for an old fashion winter with lots of snow and cold, and then the thaw happened. Here we are halfway through January and Montreal has recorded 3.8cm of snow, less than 2 inches. We have also had about 35mm of rain, not a very typical January so far. What makes it even more bizarre was the frigid stretch to start the month followed by this prolonged period of well above normal temperatures, including yesterday as we hit 2C, the normal high is -6C for Montreal.

Today will be mild once again at 0C as more clouds and limited moisture prevail over the region. The dull, almost useless weather will last right through the weekend with warmer than normal temperatures, lots of clouds and very little snow. A few weak systems from the Prairies will move across the region with nothing more than a few flurries. By the middle of next week much colder air will filter into Montreal with highs by Thursday of only -17C. However no major snow events are on the horizon at this time.

Freeze - thaw taking a toll on Montreal roads

Damaged SUV from debris under the Hymus overpass on Highway 40. (Photo Cogeco Nouvelles/Q92)

After starting January with the coldest air in decades, we have gone the other way with a prolonged January thaw. It remains above freezing this morning here on L'Ile Perrot at 2C (36F). It has been at or above freezing since the early hours of Saturday morning here in Montreal. We also have had some light rain overnight with about 3.2mm here in L'Ile Perrot. It will turn colder later today with the temperature falling below freezing to -9C tonight. Look for a few flurries Wednesday with a high back up to 0C .

The swing from sub zero readings to the current temperatures is putting stress on an already fragile road system. As we are already well aware of in Montreal and other portions of North America, our road system is aging. Add to that this brutal combination of extreme cold to heat, along with water and salt and well you get what happened yesterday on the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 40) in Montreal. Around 11:15am, not too far from where I work, and on an overpass I use everyday, a huge piece of concrete fell on the car you see above. Luckily the occupants escaped without injury, but such has not been the case in the past here in Quebec. Transport Quebec and the SQ shut the highway snarling traffic for nearly three hours. An overnight inspection has cleared the overpass/highway for use. Regardless of the cause, weather, poor concrete etc etc, the debate goes on, the warm weather will continue to foster potholes and broken concrete. The roller coaster winter will continue right into this weekend.

January thaw continues

This is the part of winter I don't like! Dirty, massive piles of snow and ice dot the foggy landscape Saturday night in Pointe Claire, Quebec. (ValleyWX)

Winter seems to have taken a break in Montreal replaced with a messy mix of frozen, dirty snow and icy sidewalks. Milder air over the weekend meant rain for all of southern Quebec with freezing rain at the onset Saturday morning. The freezing rain prompted more major delays at Trudeau Airport as well as numerous accidents on area highways especially northeast of Montreal. The mild air is here to stay, the arctic air of last week having been replaced by a westerly Pacific flow. It is at 0C this morning, but will warm to 5C (41F) today and 4C (39F) Tuesday. Clouds will increase today followed by showers tonight and Tuesday. Wednesday looks a little cooler at 0C (32F) with a few flurries around. No major cold or snow is expected in Montreal for the balance of this week. It will turn colder by the weekend - but near normal - not the brutal stuff we had last week.

Once the rainy, mild weather took over the next set of problems evolved, flooding and ice. The ground is still frozen solid, so despite the mild air, there is still a ton of ice around. Ice jams and increased runoff from rain and melting snow has caused flooding along numerous rivers and lakes across southern Quebec and into New England. Riviere-des-Prairies north of Laval has flooded in places as have the Salmon River, St Francis near Sherbrooke and the Tomifobia in Hatley. Several farms in the Cookshire-Eaton region of the Townships reported major flooding on Sunday. Flooding is also occurring across portions of Vermont and New York.

Freezing rain to rain for Montreal

Travel delays again at Trudeau Airport this morning as freezing rain delays flights. (CJAD Photo)

A freezing rain warning remains in effect this morning for Montreal and points north. Freezing rain has been falling in Montreal and Ottawa since early this morning. It should change to rain shortly in Montreal where the temperature is just nudging above the freezing point. The current reading at my home here on L'Ile Perrot in the heart of the St. Lawrence Valley is 0.6C (33F). It will remain icy for several hours as the ground is frozen solid. Eventually milder air and steadier rain will begin to melt some of the ice. The freezing rain is causing more travel problems with roads closed in Vermont, travel not recommended for the time being in St. Lawrence County, New York, and Trudeau Airport in Montreal reporting delays and cancellations.

Flooding will be an issue in portions of Ontario, southern Quebec and New England for the next 24 hours. Between 15-25 mm (0.5-1") of rain combined with very mild temperatures of 8 to 10C (48-50F) and snow melt will increase water runoff into rivers and lakes. Be very careful around them and watch for rising water as well as street flooding where sewers and downspouts are blocked by snow and ice. It will remain wet and foggy overnight along with increasing southwest winds up to 70km/h as a cold front crosses the area. Sunday will be cloudy with temperatures dropping to the freezing point and some flurries around.

Heavy rain - flooding forecast

There is a house somewhere! An incredible amount of snow in Owen Sound, Ontario this week. Flooding is a big threat with heavy rain and rapid snow melt expected this weekend. (The Weather Network)

A major change in the weather will occur this weekend as arctic high pressure retreats back north and we are left with a very warm surge of mild and moist air form the Gulf of Mexico. But first one more cold morning with a low of -17C recorded here on L'Ile Perrot around 3am this morning, it has since warmed to -12C. The rest of the day will be cloudy with some light snow in advance of the main system and mild highs near -3C.

Warm air will continue to stream into southern Quebec overnight with perhaps a period of freezing drizzle or rain before dawn. By Saturday morning enough warm air will filter into the St. Lawrence Valley to change precipitation to all rain. Roads will be icy at the onset overnight but conditions should improve in the city by mid morning. It will remain rather icy across the Ottawa Valley and north of Montreal where freezing rain warnings are posted for tonight. The main concern once we switch to rain will be flooding. With surfaces frozen solid the water will have no place to go but runoff into lakes and rivers as well as pond on roadways. We have so much snow and ice around southern Quebec and Ontario that some flooding will be likely. Another issue may be river flooding where ice jams occur. For that reason a flood watch has been posted by the National Weather Service office in Burlington for all of Vermont and Northern New York. Flooding is also possible across Ontario and western New York where copious amounts of lake effect snow have occurred since Monday. Flooding from ice jams has already been reported along the Niagara River near Buffalo, NY.

It looks like general 25mm (1 inch) of rain is possible for all regions before it tapers to flurries by early Sunday morning as a cold front crosses the region. Temperatures on Saturday will be very mild from plus 5C to 8C (40-46F) forecast for southern Quebec and Ontario. They will drop to near 0C for Sunday.

Rainy & much warmer weekend ahead for entire region

A special weather statement has been issued by Environment Canada for southern Quebec regarding significant rain this weekend. It is a much calmer morning this Thursday as winds that have been blowing relentlessly since the weekend have finally tapered off. Temperatures are chilly but manageable at -12C. The high today under partly sunny skies should be near -9C in Montreal. High pressure will then drift east of the region allowing for a return southerly flow of milder air. Adding to the flow will be a strengthening storm system from the southern Rockies that will move west of Montreal and into James Bay over the weekend. A warm front will approach Montreal Saturday. Steady precipitation will begin as snow or freezing rain very early Saturday before rapidly changing over to heavy rain at times. Rainfall amount could be significant up to 25mm. The rain along with a very warm January high of 8C (48F) will create lots of melting and potential flooding.

It is hopeful that Canadian Coast Guard ice breakers such as the one above, will be able to clear the ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to allow ferry service to resume between Quebec and Newfoundland

There is plenty of ice around on rivers and lakes as well as roads and driveways blocking sewers and downspouts. It would be wise to give them a clear path on your property if you can. All is frozen solid now but should soften up in the sun and warmer weather Friday. Speaking of ice, the residents of Labrador & far eastern Quebec have been dealing with severe river ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence since Christmas. The ice has resulted in suspension of ferry service from St. Barbe, NFLD to Blanc Sablon, Quebec. Commuters and travelers have been stranded with no means to cross the river. Ice breakers are scrambling to clear some of the ice that has formed in the terrible cold of the last month. Meanwhile the ferry MV Apollo sits in dock in Corner Brook, Newfoundland waiting for the go ahead to return to service. This may happen as early as this Friday.