Hazardous winter travel hits Quebec, dangerously cold next
theweathernetwork.com
Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 6:16 PM - There's still some kick in the latest system to cross Quebec, bringing heavy snow and strong winds through Thursday, prompting officials to warn against non-essential travel. And on the heels of that system? Some of the coldest air of the season so far. We look at who stands to see more snow, and who's headed for -20ºC, below.
WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS:
- Snow continues into Thursday for much of eastern Quebec
- 20+ cm for areas along the eastern St. Lawrence, with potential for extreme local amounts of 50 cm
- Coldest air of the season arrives mid to late week, temperatures plunge into the -20s
WATCH BELOW: NEXT WAVE OF HEAVY SNOW, TIMING
WINTER STORM CONDITIONS
The impact of this intense low pressure system will continued to be felt into Thursday, with the heaviest snow amounts for eastern parts of the province along the St. Lawrence.
"A total of 20 to 50 centimetres of snow is expected over these regions by Thursday evening," a winter storm warning from Environment Canada reads. "The highest amounts will be over the eastern tip of the Gaspé Peninsula and the Chaleur Bay. Moreover, this snow will be accompanied by strong to high winds causing widespread blowing snow and reducing visibilities to near zero."
MONTREAL'S FIRST SNOW REMOVAL OPERATION UNDERWAY
Between 5-10 cm of snow is likely in the Gatineau and Montreal areas with this system, but that's after over 10 cm already fell earlier this week. As a result, Montreal's first full-scale snow-removal operation of the season began Wednesday morning and should last for about four days.
According to Montreal spokesperson Philippe Sabourin, the city is deploying 2,200 vehicles and 3,000 employees to tackle this week's snow. In an effort to make the snow-removal operation move smoothly, residents are being asked to help by respecting the temporary no-parking signs.
TEMPERATURES PLUNGE TO FRIGID VALUES
Another big take away from this mid-week pattern will be the return of the frigid Arctic air with several places seeing temperatures drop into the -20 degree range by Friday before the wind chill is factored in.
This cold blast is expected to ease again next week, which may have some wondering when the cold will be here to stay this winter.
"While we could still see a couple more periods of milder weather, our pattern will be in the midst of a transition into a more consistently cold pattern," says Weather Network meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham, "which is expected to lock into place during the final 10 days of the month and continue for most of February and into March. The coldest weather -- compared to normal -- is expected during the end of January and into February, which is also when normal temperatures are at their coldest for the year. So, we still expect an extended period of frigid weather this winter."
