After an exceptional month of December that started with snow and ended with mud across most of Quebec, January could finally bring the weather winter lovers have been hoping for, provided they show a little patience.
Environment Canada said in its monthly report Tuesday that it expects temperatures to fall below freezing again in January, although they will likely remain above seasonal norms.
“In terms of precipitation, light snow accumulations are expected during the first week of the month. “The conditions are then in place for a potentially significant winter system to develop in the second week,” the federal organization said.
Close to the record
This prediction will certainly be encouraging to winter sports fans who have had a disappointing month.
However, December began in winter mode with a storm that left up to 30 centimeters of sticky snow from Outaouais to Estrie, plunging more than 100,000 people into darkness as vegetation gave way under the weight of the flakes.
The storm was difficult for vegetation on December 3rd and 4th, as evidenced by this fallen tree in the Montreal borough of Verdun. Pascal Girard/AGENCE QMI
But after a week of cold temperatures and temperatures up to ten degrees below normal in Mauricie, Quebec and Abitibi, the mild weather has set in and has not left the province.
“The highest temperatures were recorded around December 18, with notable values including 16°C in Mont-Joli, exceeding seasonal norms by more than 20 degrees,” Environment Canada noted.
Old Montreal without a single snowflake, December 26th. Screenshots TVA Nouvelles.
Across Quebec ultimately experienced average temperatures above historical averages, particularly in the north.
Temperature differences for the month compared to normal from 1981 to 2010 ranged from +3.1 °C in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine to +6.6 °C in Val-d'Or. The difference was +4.4°C in Montreal and +4.8°C in Quebec.
“Although the month of December 2023 did not reach the records of 2015, it is among the mildest in most regions,” the organization emphasized.