Another extreme cold wave is hitting Quebec this weekend with temperatures felt close to minus 40 degrees Celsius in some parts of the province. However, it will be short-lived, since the mercury will rise on Monday to give way to “the first big snowstorm” of winter in the south and center of the province, just in time for the start of the school year in person.
In Montreal on Saturday morning, the temperature felt when taking into account the wind chill dropped to -36 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning. It should also remain around -27 degrees this afternoon, posing a risk of frostbite for those who venture outside. However, Montrealers can take comfort in knowing that in Rouyn-Noranda and Saguenay, the temperature felt like it dropped Saturday morning to -45 and minus -43 degrees Celsius, respectively, while Gaspé is struggling with gusts of wind. over 60 km per hour.
“Everyone is dripping with it,” Environment Canada meteorologist Anna-Belle Filion told Le Devoir on Saturday, recalling that it was the Canadian Prairies that first suffered from a cold snap at the beginning of the month, then Ontario. “Now it’s made in Quebec,” she adds.
CAA-Quebec patrol officers were also taken by storm at the start of the week by calls from motorists whose batteries were flat due to the extreme cold. “It could be a good weekend of overvoltages,” says the organization’s spokesperson, Andrée-Ann Déry. Special teams have thus been set up, while working hours have been adjusted “to put the workforce accordingly” on the road, she adds.
At 11 a.m. Saturday, CAA-Quebec was already reporting more than 1,400 services rendered in the province, compared to around 9,000 for the whole day on Tuesday.
Snow storm
This cold spell will also be short-lived, since the mercury will rise overnight from Sunday to Monday. “We are going to have a break from the cold”, at least for a few days, confirms Anna-Belle Filion.
Several regions in southern and central Quebec will then be faced with their “first big snowstorm” of the winter, adds the meteorologist.
Accumulations of 15 to 30 centimeters of snow are therefore expected in several regions of Quebec located along the St. Lawrence River, including Montérégie, Centre-du-Québec, Lanaudière and the Laurentians. 15 to 25 centimeters of snow are also expected in Montreal and its surroundings.
Strong winds are also likely to cause blowing snow on Monday and thus “significantly reduce visibility” on the roads, writes Environment Canada on its website. “Significant impacts” are thus expected on Monday rush hour travel in urban areas of the province, due to a rapid accumulation of snow. “It’s really to be expected on Monday if we’re on the road,” says Ms. Filion.
“If people can avoid being on the roads when the snow and the winds are strongest, that would be a good idea,” she insists. CAA-Quebec also expects to receive a high number of towing requests on Monday, particularly in connection with getting stuck. “It is this type of service that is likely to be requested”, foresees Andrée-Ann Déry.
In time for back to school
This snowstorm thus risks complicating the return to face-to-face classes scheduled for Monday in primary and secondary schools in Quebec, following a favorable opinion issued by the interim national director of public health, Dr. Luc Boileau.
The current cold snap comes a few days after the one seen earlier this week in the province, when the mercury dropped to around minus 40 degrees Celsius in some regions. However, the average temperatures for the month of January remain “in the normal range” for the moment, indicates Ms. Filion.