Freezing rain will make it difficult for motorists to travel in Quebec on Saturday, warns Environment Canada. Strong winds could also cause power outages on Saturday night.
The freezing rain will begin early in the morning. During the course of the day, rising temperatures will turn freezing rain into rain.
In areas south of the St. Lawrence River, such as Estrie or Montérégie, “we will have a fairly brief period of freezing rain, while temperatures will increase quite quickly due to southerly winds,” explains Simon Legault, meteorologist at Environment Canada.
In the greater Montreal area, 2 to 5 mm of freezing rain is expected before the temperature warms up.
Regions north of the St. Lawrence River, including the Outaouais and the Laurentians, must anticipate a prolonged episode of freezing rain. “With the northeast winds, it may be cold a little longer, and the build-up will be done over a longer period. This is where we will have the greatest accumulations of freezing rain, ”continues Simon Legault. 2 to 6 cm of freezing rain will fall on these areas.
Environment Canada urges drivers to be cautious, as the roads will be slippery, before rising temperatures melt the ice.
Some areas will experience a brief episode of snow before the freezing rain turns to rain, including the Hautes-Laurentides, Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean and Abitibi regions.
The precipitation will be caused by a low level originating in the state of Colorado, United States. “It brings a certain supply of fairly mild air from the southern United States, which allows this rain or freezing rain,” says Simon Legault.
Strong winds Saturday night
The precipitation system will leave behind strong winds, which could lead to power outages in Quebec on Saturday night. “We are talking about gusts of 80 to 100 km / h in the St. Lawrence Valley,” said the meteorologist.
“Even if the ice will probably have had time to melt or break away from the trees before the winds pick up […], just the force of the winds, which will be much more [importante] that Monday and Tuesday, will probably cause broken branches and power outages, ”continues Simon Legault. He calls on drivers to be careful when traveling.
The winds will continue to rage into the night, and will move to eastern Quebec, where they will generate gusts on Sunday.
Snow for Christmas?
Will Quebecers enjoy a white Christmas this year? In some regions, such as Saguenay – Lac-Saint-Jean and Sept-Îles, yes, says Simon Legault. However, it is impossible to answer this question with certainty with regard to southern Quebec, underlines the meteorologist.
Temperatures above seasonal norms are expected this week. However, in the course of “next weekend, there will be a return of more seasonal temperatures, therefore cold enough to generate snow,” reports Mr. Legault. It is possible that southern Quebec will receive snow during the week leading up to Christmas, but it would not be a large amount, warns the meteorologist.