Although the month of October ended with the first snowfall of the season, it also began with temperatures exceeding 30°C before a series of floods occurred, ultimately making the weather much hotter and more humid than almost anywhere else in the world Quebec normal.
In all areas of the southern part of the province, average temperatures were 3.4°C to 4.6°C above the historical average, Environment Canada noted in its monthly report.
With an average temperature of 12.6°C, Montrealers particularly got their money’s worth in October, who would normally have to make do with an average of 8.5°C. This is a difference of 4.1°C compared to the historical average between 1981 and 2010.
The situation was similar in the capital, where temperatures averaged 10.5°C, or 3.9°C higher than usual.
“Freezing point was reached in the third week in Abitibi, Saguenay and the East, then in the last days of October for the rest of the province, late almost everywhere,” the organization noted.
Yo-yo weather
The October crossing consisted of successive ups and downs. The month began with temperature anomalies 12 to 16°C above normal. These shattered records of nearly a century when the mercury reached 30.3°C in Gatineau.
These records were followed by flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Philippe, which left up to 160 mm of rain on October 6 and 7. Further minor flooding followed, contributing to a largely wet October. Montreal also ended the month with 146 mm of rain, or 60% of normal. However, the prize goes to Val-d’Or, where 200mm of rain fell, compared to 87mm in a normal year.
The yo-yo began again at the end of the month with temperatures 10 °C above the monthly average in Montreal, followed by a plunge in temperatures and the first snow of the year, which was 10 to 15 cm in the Laurentians, Mauricie, Quebec and Charlevoix.
And now?
In contrast to October, November promises to be colder than usual, at least in the first half of the month. Rainfall is also expected to be lower, Environment Canada said.
Temperature anomaly per city in southern Quebec, between the October 2023 average and the historical normal.
Montreal: +4.1°C
Trois-Rivières: +3.4°C
Quebec: +3.9°C
Saguenay: +4.5°C
Mont Joli: +4.6°C
Gaspé: +3.5°C
September Îles: +3.9°C
Val d’Or: +3.5°C