Severe thunderstorms could break out from Thursday to Monday in several regions of Quebec, warns Environment Canada.
As early as Thursday afternoon, “violent thunderstorms” could form in the Capitale-Nationale, Chaudière-Appalaches and Estrie regions, says Environment Canada meteorologist Michèle Fleury. The system, which will be similar to the one that hit Montreal on Wednesday night, could last until 8 p.m. and produce 10 to 15 mm of rain, “small hail” and “gusts.”
Another larger system is expected to break out at the end of the week, particularly on Sunday and Monday, Mr.me Fleury: “It’s more this system that worries us.”
“We are talking about the possibility of gusts between 70 and 90 km/h, hail that could reach 2 cm and rain that could accumulate 30 to 50 millimetres of water in less than an hour,” summed up his colleague Alain Roberge.
“Heavy rains could locally cause flash flooding and may affect structures, roads and buildings already weakened by the events of the past week,” the federal agency said, issuing severe thunderstorm watches.
Already received a lot of water
The areas targeted by these notices extend from Saint-Jérôme in the Laurentians in the west to Saint-Georges in Beauce in the east, and from the border with the United States in the south to Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, in the Capitale-Nationale in the north.
Environment Canada will be particularly monitoring “areas that received a lot of water last week and therefore have increased vulnerability” such as “the Montreal region, the South Shore, the Laurentians and Mauricie,” says meteorologist Alain Roberge.
“It won’t be as heavy rain as Debby“It’s only worrying because of the current situation on the ground,” Mr.me Fleury.
What is the difference between a watch and a warning? A severe thunderstorm watch is issued to advise citizens to be prepared, as conditions are favorable for the formation of the weather phenomenon. The watch precedes the warning, which is issued when severe thunderstorms are imminent or occurring.
Debby flooded 2,300 homes
Rainfall caused by tropical storm Debby Last week, rainfall reached 200 millimeters in 24 hours in some places.
The passage of Debby flooded some 2,300 homes and forced the evacuation of 464 people. Public infrastructure was also damaged.
As of Tuesday, no fewer than 700 people have claimed damage to their property since the storm.
With The Canadian Press