Heavy snow and winds whip into Quebec, several flights cancelled
Quebec is facing two rounds of heavy snow from a major winter storm barreling east across the country this week.
A surge of Arctic air will quickly follow the healthy blanket of snow as well, sending temperatures into the -20s—with even colder wind chills—for a large part of the province heading into the weekend.
SEE ALSO: 'Common sense driving tips to help steer through Canada's winter'
A centre of high pressure over Quebec will fend off the worst of the major winter storm traversing the eastern half of Canada this week, but not enough to prevent a disruptive snowfall across the province.
Two rounds of precipitation will allow the snow to pile up through Friday morning, with the heaviest totals eyeing southern Quebec.
The first round will cover the morning hours on Thursday, with a heavier round of snow arriving Thursday evening, lasting into the nighttime hours before winding down by Friday morning.
By the end of the storm, we could see 10-20 cm of fresh snow across Metro Montreal and much of the Eastern Townships. Folks around Gatineau can expect about 15 cm, while communities near the southern border in the Eastern Townships could see snowfall totals reach 15-25 cm.
Cold temperatures will make this a light and fluffy snow, which raises the risk for blowing and drifting. Drivers can expect periods of low visibility during and after the snow.
Those with air travel plans are also urged to plan and check ahead. At least 50 flights coming in and out of Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport were cancelled as of early Thursday morning.
Frigid temperatures will settle in behind this storm, with Friday night’s lows bottoming out around the mid -20s for much of Quebec. Wind chill values will make it feel as cold as -30 or worse. Highs on Saturday will only reach the mid minus-teens for much of the area.
We’ll see daytime temperatures trend back toward the freezing mark heading into next week.
WATCH: Worried about a power outage? How to prep ahead of time
Stay tuned to The Weather Network for the latest forecast across Quebec.
