Winter’s last word: This part of Quebec may see its last -10 C of the season
Overnight cold is not unusual for March in Montreal. In fact, it happens practically every year. But, will this be the last incidence of a -10°C reading for Quebec this season?
Cold temperatures returned swiftly to Quebec this week, but that will soon be a thing of the past.
Overnight cold like this is not unusual for March in Montreal. In fact, it happens practically every year.
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In 2022, Montreal even experienced a low of -10°C or less as late as March 28, when spring usually begins to set in. On March 24, 2024, the temperature also dropped below -10°C. In 2023, the month of March was almost spared such cold, with the last -10°C observed on March 3.
Big temperature swings
The shock was brutal for many on Wednesday morning. The temperature plummeted by more than 20°C between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. In Saguenay, in particular, some people must have wondered if they'd slept all summer only to wake up in December. The temperature hovered around -20°C on Wednesday morning. In Montreal, the mercury dipped to around -8°C at the airport.
Temperatures vary enormously during March. It's a long battle between north and south, between the Arctic cold that's trying to pay us a few last visits and the mild air from the south that's rising more and more.
Many remember 2012, when the temperature topped 25°C in Montreal on March 21. The day before, in Phoenix, Ariz., the temperature had reached 6°C with a few hailstorms. March often that brings big surprises.
Are we saying goodbye to the cold?
The overnight low temperature into Thursday morning is forecast to reach -11°C, potentially the last -10°C or lower reading of the season. As quickly as we went from feeling like March to January, we’ll jump right back into feeling like March.
The turnaround will be spectacular on Thursday. The wind will suddenly come from the southwest. And what's south of Quebec? Mild air. The south of the province will be spoiled, with a jump of 15 degrees in just eight hours in places. Mont-Laurier and Sherbrooke should reach the 5°C mark on Thursday.
Will the temperatures continue to go up and down? Good news: No. Better news: It's going to stay above freezing for several days, at least in southern Quebec.
Highs could even approach 15°C in some areas this weekend. No highs below 0°C are forecast for at least the next seven days.
To find out what kind of spring awaits you, don't miss our spring forecast, which will be unveiled on March 13.
Editor’s note: This article has been translated from French to English for The Weather Network, originally published by MétéoMedia. Read the original article, here.
It contains files from Matthew Grinter, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.