Published November 12, 2023 at 4:44 p.m
A powerful storm left nearly 200,000 homes without power in British Columbia this weekend. The effects will be felt as far away as Quebec, but in a positive sense. Explanations.
Strong storm hits the west coast
In western British Columbia, including Pam Rocks north of Vancouver, gusts exceeded 100 km/h. The same area received more than 100mm of rain from Friday to Saturday. The low pressure system responsible for this strong and devastating storm will not reach Quebec. But La Belle Province will continue to suffer the impact, and the impact will not be negative.
Effects on the jet stream
The low pressure system will initially interact with the Rocky Mountains to allow Chinook to descend toward the Plains and push warm air eastward. It will also create a ripple in the Pacific jet stream and push the Arctic jet stream northward.
Sweetness for everyone
The result will be a mild blast of air that will affect the entire country from west to east. The Prairies will benefit on Monday, followed by Ontario on Wednesday, arriving in Quebec on Thursday before the Maritimes warms up a bit just before the weekend. We’re not talking about heat here, but rather a mild temperature, slightly above normal seasonal temperatures along the entire route.
A limited time offer
On Thursday, the mercury in southern Quebec will therefore be above the normal for mid-November, which is around 6 degrees. The maximum could approach the 10° mark on Thursday and exceed it on Friday. Locally the thermometer could even flirt with 15°. However, this little sweetness will be short-lived. From Saturday, mercury levels are expected to return to normal levels for the season.
In collaboration with Kevin Cloutier, meteorologist