Freezing rain makes for slippery morning in greater Montreal area
Commuters are encouraged to be extra vigilant Thursday morning as freezing rain overnight created slippery conditions in southern Quebec.
Environment Canada issued a freezing rain warning for the greater Montreal area Wednesday, forecasting between two to 10 millimetres beginning that evening.
The weather agency warns that highways, roads and surfaces may be "icy and slippery" following the precipitation.
"Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve," Environment Canada said, adding there may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic.
The agency said the freezing rain will change over to a mix of light snow and intermittent freezing drizzle early Thursday morning — possibly creating an additional thin layer of ice.
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In the Montérégie, around 28,000 Hydro-Québec customers are without power as a result of the icy precipitation overnight.
"It's caused most probably by built-up ice on trees which causes the branches to break and to come in contact with our power lines," said Hydro-Québec spokesperson Valérie Ouellette.
She said customers will have a better understanding of when their power will be restored once workers get on the ground and assess the exact damage later in the morning.
A special weather statement issued for a mix of snow and ice pellets for other areas in southern Quebec ended Thursday morning, but freezing rain warnings remain in effect for Gatineau, Lachute, Pontiac, Richelieu, Témiscamingue and Vaudreuil.
This article was originally written by CBC News.