Published December 2, 2023 at 1:06 p.m.
December will deal a serious blow to Montreal starting late Sunday afternoon. Up to 30 cm of snow is expected. Forecast.
It starts on Sunday
A system will be implemented in Quebec late Sunday. Unlike Saturday’s precipitation, this second pulse will bring mostly snow, and in significant amounts. We’re talking about a real storm for the Montreal region.
Low risk of freezing rain
The system is expected to move in from the southwest of the province late Sunday afternoon. Montérégie, Outaouais and Greater Montreal will therefore be the first sectors affected. Precipitation will fall primarily in the form of snow, but there is a risk of freezing rain in eastern Ontario, which could spread to Suroît, southern Outaouais and western Montérégie. If freezing rain occurs in these areas, it will snow on Sunday evening.
For some, a mix
Snow will fall for much of the night throughout the south of the province, namely the Outaouais, the Laurentians, Lanaudière, the Montreal region and Estrie. A mix of rain and snow could occur in certain areas from Haut-Richelieu, north of Lake Champlain to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.
Decrease in intensity on Monday
Rainfall intensity is expected to ease on Monday morning. Snow clearing teams should therefore have time during the night from Sunday to Monday to do their work on the main traffic arteries around the metropolis. Road conditions will continue to be far from ideal as one factor will confound the issue: the wind.
The wind gets involved
Therefore, snowdrifts are possible in several areas on Monday morning. Around Montreal, gusts could reach speeds of up to 45 km/h. This could cause the snow to blow onto the road, ruining the work of the snow clearing teams. Around the Capitale-Nationale the wind will be even stronger, with gusts of over 55 km/h. Although snow accumulations in the Quebec region will be less than in Montreal, road conditions could be just as complicated due to blowing snow.
Up to 30 cm of snow
We expect between 20 and 30 cm of snow in the Montreal region, the Laurentians, Lanaudière and Mauricie. Between 15 and 25 cm of snow is expected to fall in Outaouais, Estrie and Beauce. There will be less snow accumulation in Haut-Richelieu, where there should be a mix of rain and snow in the first few hours after the system arrives. For the Hautes-Laurentides and the Capitale-Nationale we expect between 10 and 15 cm. Saguenay and Bas-Saint-Laurent should see traces of snow between 1 and 3 cm.