December will be hot
As the decades go by, December tends to get warmer. In fact, the average number of days with temperatures above freezing has been increasing for 60 years. From 11 days between 1961 and 1990, Montreal has added almost four more in the last thirty years. This data doesn’t lie.
“One of the dominant features of December in recent years has been these remarkably mild periods,” explains Réjean Ouimet, meteorologist. They leave us to our hunger for the coming of the real winter. »
The special case of 2015
December 2015 was exceptionally hot. Freezing highs were observed for most of the month. In addition, 21 °C were measured on Christmas Eve in Montérégie in Saint-Anicet. For a December 24th, it’s 25 degrees above normal.
“Over the years, the frequency of such days has increased,” continues Réjean Ouimet. In 2015, mercury stayed above freezing from December 1 to December 27. 13 times it was more than 5 degrees. Three days were 10+ degrees. »
Exceptional warmth
Some years are characterized by notable heat waves in December. In Montreal we remember the 6th in 2001 with a maximum of 18 degrees. The majority of cases have been going on for forty years. Most often, these very high maxima occur at the beginning of the month, except in 2015!
“In the relatively recent past, some cases lasted particularly long in December,” says Réjean Ouimet. 15 to 27 days, all coupled with rain, one often cannot do without the other in December. We understand that winter decor needs it for its chill. In remarkable years we still managed to save the 2001 and 2011 white Christmas with 6 cm on the ground each. In 2015, Christmas was green from Abitibi to Quebec and the Magdalen Islands. »
