A real summer Saturday was a delight for Montrealers. In the water games or on the beach, sand castles, parasols and cries of joy are in the spotlight.
“It’s the first time we’ve tried Verdun beach,” exclaims Emmanuelle Hébert, a resident of Le Plateau, in Montreal. White dress, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses: the Montrealer is ready for a sunbath. “It’s beautiful, there are a lot of people,” adds her friend Amélie Villeneuve at her side.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Emmanuelle Hébert and her friend Amélie Villeneuve came to visit the beach for the first time.
In the background, dozens of people are stretched out on the sand in this southwestern borough. The river sparkles. On the other side of the water, the buildings of L’Île-des-Sœurs are crowned with cumulonimbus clouds.
Parents smear their children under colorful umbrellas. Students read on beach towels, in bathing suits. Sand castles are being built. Splashes are common.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
This McGill student took advantage of the good weather to read outdoors.
At noon, it is already 26 degrees Celsius, and 34 with the Humidex factor. The temperature could rise to 37 felt in the afternoon, according to Environment Canada. Storms could break the party in the afternoon.
Never mind: here, at Verdun beach, it’s finally summer. This group of international students from McGill University confirms this to The Press : between bouts of smog and rain, they haven’t come to the beach in the whole month of June.
They had been there in May, but the water was a lot colder, says one of them.
A little further on, Lana Alfyorova is enjoying the sun, sitting in the water of the river. His grandchildren, ages 3 and 6, are building a sand fort alongside him. “The sun is extreme, but the beach is beautiful,” she says. “It’s good to enjoy the summer with our grandchildren! »
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The 6 and 3 year old grandchildren of Lana Alfyoroya, resident of Verdun
Same story for Kathy Hennings. The lady from Wisconsin, USA is visiting the province for a month with her family. “It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said, pointing to the beach. We love Quebec and Montreal,” she adds, well in the shade under a white umbrella speckled with colors.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Kathy Hennings was visiting from Wisconsin with her family.
” It is less hot ”
After four consecutive days of heat, Montrealers found themselves around the water points. In Rosemont Park, at the corner of Iberville and Dandurand streets, new misters will delight young and old alike.
“We were working this week, we don’t have a swimming pool, so we come to the parks to try to cool off,” says Carl Poulin, along with his spouse and their two little girls aged one and three.
In the background, three-year-old Elsa and seven-year-old Eliott discovered the joy of giving themselves a head massage by plunging their heads directly into the water jets. “We live near Parc Père-Marquette, but we’ve come to test this new park for the first time and it’s great! enthuses their mother, Gaëlle.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Elsa, 3, and her brother Eliott, 7, cool off at the new Rosemont Park.
At a large picnic table under the trees, couples of friends are celebrating little Léa’s five-year-old birthday. Yes, it’s hot, but “less hot” than in the last few days, they believe.
Warning still in progress
On Saturday, a heat warning still affects the regions of Montreal, Montérégie and Estrie, as well as part of Outaouais, Laurentides, Lanaudière, Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec. A sector of Bas-Saint-Laurent, adjacent to New Brunswick, is also targeted.
Although the heat warning does not affect other areas of the province, high temperatures and thunderstorms are also expected elsewhere. This is among other things the case in the capital, where a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius is expected, with a feeling of 35 in the afternoon.
SCREENSHOT ENVIRONMENT CANADA
In red: heat warning
In grey: warning for poor air quality
In Saguenay, the mercury could reach 27 degrees Celsius, with a feeling of 32.
Thunderstorms are expected in several regions in the afternoon. The Vallée-du-Richelieu, the Drummondville region and western Estrie are particularly at risk of being affected, underlines Mr. Velonza. Gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour and hail could occur.
Cooler from Sunday, expected rain
The warm air mass that has been stagnating over Quebec since the middle of the week should free the province on Sunday. In Montreal, the feelings should be around 30 with the Humidex factor, according to the meteorologist. At night, the temperature should drop back below 20 degrees Celsius.
Rain is also expected in southern Quebec from Sunday evening, due to a low pressure system arriving from the east coast of the United States, he adds.
It should rain during the beginning of the week, Monday and Tuesday. Thunderstorms could also occur. Up to 50 millimeters of rain are forecast.
Note that an Environment Canada warning on poor air quality is still in effect in Chibougamau and part of the Jamésie region.
Partial lifting of the ban on open fires
Under the circumstances, the ban on open fires in or near the forest has been lifted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests for a large part of southern Quebec, with the exception of certain sectors.
Announced Friday evening, this decision has been in effect since Saturday morning at 8 a.m.