MétéoMédia editorial team
Published October 1, 2023 at 10:58 am.
Updated October 1, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
A thick cloud of smoke is moving through the province, triggering several smog warnings. Forecasts.
Smog warnings
Early Sunday morning, several regions received smog warnings, including Abitibi, Estrie and Bas-Saint-Laurent. Due to the thick layer of smoke at low altitudes, air quality will be poor.
However, Sunday had it all: temperatures above 20°C in most areas and clear skies that promised plenty of sunshine. However, this is not the best time for outdoor activities in these areas.
More alerts may be added throughout the day. To monitor.
A flight path towards the southwest
The smoke comes from wildfires that are still active in northern Quebec. The presence of a ridge to the west and a trough on the Atlantic creates a corridor and facilitates its movement. Driven by the winds, it glides towards the southwest of the province while remaining close to the surface. It could reach the greater Montreal area late Sunday afternoon.
The equivalent of Costa Rica
So far all fires in the intensive zone are under control, however certain sections of the northern zone are still burning and the fire risk remains very high in the coming days. However, it is likely to become weaker from Tuesday. The arrival of a system in the northern sectors of Quebec could bring some relief in the form of precipitation to these regions.
As a reminder, the 2023 wildfire season was particularly devastating in Canada. Almost 52,000 km2 burned in Quebec, more than the entire area of Costa Rica. Of these 52,000 km2, 37,910 km2 are in the northern zones of Quebec.
In collaboration with Alexandra Giroux, meteorologist.