Montreal residents are advised to prepare for challenging travel conditions today as heavy snow and squalls threaten to reduce visibility in the area.
Today will see intermittent heavy snowfall, with the possibility of snow squalls affecting southern and central Quebec. Accumulations of up to 5 centimeters are expected, accompanied by strong southwest winds reaching 30 km/h, gusting up to 60 km/h. Temperatures will hover around minus–2 degrees Celsius, with wind chills making it feel closer to minus–12. Environment Canada has issued a yellow snow squall watch, cautioning that visibility may drop significantly due to blowing snow, making roads hazardous for both the morning and evening commute.
Snowfall will gradually diminish by early Thursday night, giving way to partly cloudy conditions. Despite the decrease in snow, brisk southwest winds will persist, causing temperatures to drop to around minus–12 degrees Celsius, with wind chills plummeting to about minus–20.
Friday’s weather will feature a mix of sun and clouds, with the possibility of flurries in the afternoon. West winds gusting up to 40 km/h will maintain wind chills near minus–20 degrees Celsius, despite a daytime high of minus–9. The clear skies on Friday night will bring bitterly cold temperatures, with lows expected to reach around minus–23 degrees Celsius.
The frigid weather will extend into the weekend, with Saturday being sunny but extremely cold, with temperatures peaking near minus–18 degrees Celsius. The night will remain clear and cold. Sunday will see an increase in activity as snowfall is expected, continuing into the night.
Snowy conditions will persist into Monday, with daytime temperatures slightly improving to around minus–12 degrees Celsius before dropping again overnight.
Forecasters warn of the potential for rapidly changing conditions due to snow squalls, which can transition from clear skies to heavy snow within a short distance. Drivers are advised to be prepared for sudden reductions in visibility and quickly accumulating snow as winter tightens its hold on the region.
