A sweeping low-pressure area coming in from the south is set to bring Quebec a slew of wintry headaches Thursday and Friday, complete with the threat of rain, snow, ice and a period of gusty winds.
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Freezing rain warnings, snowfall warnings and special weather reports are shaping the province for the mixed rainfall expected with this storm.
Snow will push into the Ottawa Valley and Montreal early Thursday afternoon. This snow will quickly transition to rain in Montreal, with a possible brief spell of freezing rain during the transition.
However, down in the Ottawa Valley, the cold air will last longer, increasing the risk of freezing rain. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) issued a Freezing Rain Warning for Gatineau in anticipation of several hours of ice formation.
“An extended period of freezing rain is expected for the Ottawa River Valley,” ECCC said in its warning.
Freezing rain will turn to rain for the Ottawa Valley as warmer air moves in from the south on Thursday evening. The rain will end on Friday morning.
Beyond this warm front, temperatures will steadily rise across much of southern Quebec. Metro Montreal and the Eastern Townships have seen temperatures hit the mid to high single digits overnight from Thursday through the morning hours of Friday.
The temperature in Montreal could rise from 2C at 9pm on Thursday to 6C at 3am on Friday before falling again. We could even see a fast double digit reading in the southern eastern townships near the US border.
Ice deposits of 2-5 mm are possible through the Ottawa Valley and the Laurentians. Total precipitation will reach 5-15 mm over most of southern Quebec for the duration of this storm.
Farther north, temperatures remain cold enough for snow to accumulate. Plumes of the heaviest snow will fall over northern Quebec, where 10-20+ inches of snow are likely through Friday. The heaviest totals will fall in Quebec City, which could accumulate 20-30 cm by the end of the storm.
Looking ahead, the pattern is favorable for trans-seasonal conditions that will dominate southern Quebec into next week, with daily highs of 5+ degrees above what they should reach for mid-February. This warmer pattern will come at a price, however, as choppy conditions could lead to multiple rain opportunities next week.
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Catch up on the latest weather updates across Quebec this week.
