For a second day in a row, southern Quebec broke a new heat record. The mercury rose above 13 degrees in the Montreal region, a few hours before the passage of an intense cold front.
From Estrie to Montérégie, new heat records were set Wednesday across southern Quebec. In Montreal, the highest temperature ever recorded on this date was in 2017, i.e. 8 degrees.
On Tuesday, the mercury reached 15 degrees in the metropolis, breaking another historic record.
This unusual period of mild weather will come to an abrupt end over the next few hours, with the approach of a new cold front. “We can anticipate a drastic drop in temperatures,” underlines Jean-Philippe Bégin, meteorologist at Environment Canada.
In Abitibi, the mercury dropped more than 20 degrees in just two hours after the passage of the cold front earlier in the day.
The temperature difference should not be as radical in southern Quebec, but still: temperatures should drop by 10 to 15 degrees in the space of three hours, according to forecasts.
At its coldest, the mercury is expected to plunge to -12 degrees Thursday morning.
“Temperature drops have already been seen, but this one risks being a little more intense. It remains to be seen to what extent it will be exceptional,” notes Jean-Philippe Bégin.
Testifying to an up and down weather forecast, the heat should return from Friday afternoon in a new episode of mild weather which should continue until the beginning of next week.