It’s the calm before the storm: Saturday will be quite beautiful before giving way to ice, then rain and snow in several regions of Quebec – precipitation which will fall until Monday in certain areas.
With warmer temperatures during the day on Saturday, freezing rain should start in the evening, according to Environment Canada, which has issued alerts for Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and some sectors of the North Shore.
“We expect 2 to 4 millimeters of black ice this evening and tonight. Surfaces, such as roads, streets, sidewalks and parking lots, may become icy and slippery,” the federal agency said.
A mixture of rain and snow after the ice
Sunday will be rainy and snowy for southern and central Quebec. Thus, special weather bulletins were issued in several sectors, including Montreal, Quebec and Estrie. This mix of precipitation is expected to affect the south and center of the province until Monday evening.
“Precipitation will start as rain before changing to snow Monday morning. This moisture-filled system could leave behind significant quantities of rain as it passes,” said Environment Canada, specifying that these regions could receive between 20 and 40 mm of rain.
We will see a similar scenario for eastern Quebec, which should however receive around 50 mm of rain. “A major low pressure system will bring significant amounts of precipitation to eastern Quebec from Sunday morning to Tuesday morning. Precipitation will begin as rain before changing to snow on Monday in most areas,” the federal agency said in special weather bulletins.
Everything will be accompanied by strong winds in Gaspésie and the Lower North Shore. “A storm surge could affect coastal communities exposed to these winds,” it was specified.
The Magdalen Islands will be swept by strong winds, with gusts ranging from 70 to 80 km/h, even 100 km/h in places.
Be careful on the roads
Obviously, heavy precipitation also means difficult road conditions. Motorists should therefore exercise caution when traveling.
“In addition, the gradual drop in temperatures below freezing combined with the change in precipitation type will make road conditions difficult starting Monday morning,” said Environment Canada.
Areas subject to a freezing rain warning
• Lac-Saint-Jean (2 to 4 mm of black ice)
• Les Escoumins – Forestville (2 to 4 mm of black ice)
• Manicouagan River (2 to 4 mm of black ice)
• Saguenay (2 to 4 mm of black ice)
Areas covered by a special weather bulletin
• Amqui – Matapedia Valley (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Anticosti (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Baie-Comeau (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Beauce (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Blanc-Sablon (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Charlevoix (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Chevery (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Drummondville – Bois-Francs (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Estrie (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Strong winds; gust of 70 to 80 km/h)
• Kamouraska – Rivière-du-Loup – Trois-Pistoles (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Matane (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Minganie (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Montmagny – L’Islet (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Metropolitan Montreal – Laval (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Natashquan (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• New Carlisle – Chandler (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Forillon – Gaspé – Percé National Park (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Gaspésie National Park – Murdochville (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Quebec (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Laurentides Wildlife Reserve (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)
• Restigouche – Bonaventure (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Rimouski – Mont-Joli (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Sainte-Anne-des-Monts – Grande-Vallée (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Sept-Îles – Port-Cartier (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Témiscouata (rain and snow; 50 mm of rain)
• Vallée-du-Richelieu – Saint-Hyacinthe (rain and snow; 20 to 40 mm of rain)