Environment Canada had issued severe thunderstorm watches and warnings for several regions in southern Quebec on Thursday. Several of them had already been particularly badly hit by flooding last weekend. They were ultimately spared by these storms, but could be hit again this weekend.
On Thursday, conditions were conducive to the formation of severe thunderstorms; Environment Canada therefore issued watches and alerts in several regions of Quebec shortly before noon. These storms could have produced strong gusts and large hail.
The federal agency also wrote that “heavy rains could locally cause flash flooding and risk affecting structures, roads and buildings already weakened by last week’s events.” Alain Roberge, a meteorologist at Environment Canada, had indicated that he was closely monitoring the Greater Montreal, South Shore, Laurentians and Mauricie regions, which are particularly vulnerable following the flooding caused by Debby.
But only two storm cells were finally triggered, one in the Quebec region and the other in Estrie, indicated Dominic Martel, meteorologist at Environment Canada.
“When you send a storm watch, it’s because all the ingredients are there, but it always takes a trigger. And there wasn’t one here,” he stressed.
A few hours earlier, his colleague Alain Roberge mentioned “gusts between 70 and 80 kilometres per hour, hail that could reach 2 cm and rain that could accumulate 30 to 50 mm of water in less than an hour”.
Dominic Martel said he had not yet received a report indicating whether the two storm cells had indeed caused such gusts and hail. But “there was not a high population density where it fell,” he said.
On the other hand, the weather remains very unstable; precipitation is particularly forecast for the end of the week in southern Quebec, with a risk of thunderstorms. But nothing is certain yet. “If we have a good level of confidence, watches will be sent Friday evening,” says the meteorologist.
What is the difference between standby and alert?
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued to advise citizens to prepare, as conditions are favorable for the formation of the weather phenomenon.
The watch precedes the alert, which is launched when violent storms are imminent or occur.
Montreal and Laval try to reassure citizens
The cities of Montreal and Laval were among the most affected by the storm. Debbylast week.
Also read: “Laval and Montreal draw up an initial assessment of the damage caused by Debby »
On Thursday, Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer indicated that the “teams have been hard at work since the beginning of the crisis and they will continue to be so until the situation is resolved.”
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Discarded furniture and other household items are shown on a street in Beaconsfield, west of Montreal.
Faced with the extent of the damage, his administration has tried to reassure citizens. Stéphane Boyer announced that 250 blue-collar workers will be deployed in the coming days to collect “as quickly as possible” the debris caused by the floods.
For its part, the City of Montreal stressed on the social network X that teams are still on the ground to help those affected. It indicated to The Press be in communication with the districts to identify problem areas and determine the need for specific collections.
“If you do not feel safe and it is necessary to leave your home due to its unsanitary conditions or excessive damage, call 311,” the City also advised in a message.
Debby flooded thousands of homes
Rainfall caused by tropical storm Debby reached 200 millimeters in 24 hours in places.
More than 10,000 people are affected in the City of Laval, according to Stéphane Boyer. The City of Montreal has nearly 3,000 flooded homes. Between them, the two municipalities have counted 65 municipal buildings affected by the floods, and public infrastructure has also been damaged.
According to data provided by municipalities to Public Security, there are “29 municipalities still impacted, 145 isolated residences, 37 people evacuated and 48 roads affected” in the province.
No fewer than 1,438 complaint files have been opened by individuals, tenants or municipalities as of Thursday, according to Public Security.
With Quentin Dufranne, The Press