Heavy snows could hamper Ottawa, Montreal travel into Monday
A growing system south of the border will tap into Gulf moisture to bring heavy snows to parts of eastern Ontario and southern Quebec late this weekend
A classic winter storm taking shape south of the border this weekend is on track to bring a swath of accumulating snows to eastern Ontario and southern Quebec late this weekend.
We’re still a few days out from the system and there’s still a bit of uncertainty in its precise track. A small shift in a winter storm’s track can have big implications for precipitation types and snowfall accumulations.
As things stand now, parts of southern Quebec—including the Montreal area—could see 15+ cm of snow by Monday morning. While this won’t be a high-impact storm, a healthy blanket of snow on the ground could easily hamper travel throughout the region by road, rail, and air.
Plan ahead for tough travel conditions on Sunday and Monday, and check back frequently for any potential changes in this weekend’s snowfall forecast.
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A low-pressure system developing over the Midwestern U.S. will scrape along the eastern edge of the Great Lakes through the day on Sunday, bringing rain and snow to portions of southern Ontario to end the first weekend of December.
The exact track of this system will prove key for precipitation types and snowfall totals across eastern Ontario and southern Quebec. As things stand now, the storm’s track looks to stay far enough south that cold air will keep precipitation all-snow across the region.
The northern edge of this system will begin to push into eastern Ontario by Sunday afternoon, increasing in coverage and intensity by Sunday evening and into the overnight hours.
Snow will likely continue into early Monday morning, gradually winding down from west to east as the morning progresses.
Folks around Montreal may see quite the healthy blanket of snow on the ground by Monday morning, with 15-20+ cm of snow possible just north and west of the city proper.
A blanket of wet snow measuring more than 15 cm deep can make for treacherous driving, especially on lesser-travelled side roads. Plan ahead for potential travel issues on the road Sunday into Monday morning, and stay up-to-date with the potential for delays and cancellations throughout the region.
Be sure to check back for the latest on this snowfall event in Ontario and Quebec.
