Freezing rain is expected in southern Quebec in the next few hours. Rush hour traffic could be disrupted Thursday morning, Environment Canada warns.
Posted at 4:28 p.m.
Rainfall should begin in the evening and last well into the night, says Simon Legault, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
5 to 10 millimeters of rain is expected in the south of the province by Thursday morning.
A freezing rain warning was issued for several areas early Wednesday afternoon, including Gatineau, Lachute – Saint-Jérôme, Lanaudière, Montreal, Richelieu Valley – Saint-Hyacinthe and Vaudreuil – Soulanges – Huntingdon.
“Surfaces such as roads, paths, sidewalks and parking lots become icy, slippery and dangerous,” warns the federal agency.
However, the risk of massive power outages is low, emphasizes Simon Legault, especially due to the absence of strong winds. “That doesn't mean there won't be any at all, but we don't expect a phenomenon like last spring when it rained 30 to 35 millimeters,” he explains.
A second episode of freezing rain is expected to begin early Friday morning. This will be less significant: between 5 and 7 millimeters are expected during the day. Nevertheless, the rainfall will accumulate to the level of the previous day, warns the meteorologist.
The rain is also expected to be accompanied by gusts of up to 45 km/h across the St. Lawrence Valley. There is a risk of blowing snow in areas further north, including Quebec, where 10 to 15 cm of snow is expected on Friday. “We run the risk of having problems on certain sections of the road,” emphasizes Simon Legault.
After the bad weather, most Quebecers can expect a “calm and mild” weekend where they can enjoy milder temperatures before the cold returns next Monday.