Hopes for a white Christmas threaten to melt like snow by Tuesday as a major system moves up the east coast of the United States, bringing 25 to 80 millimeters of rain to Quebec, depending on the region.
Posted at 4:42 p.m.
From Montreal to Quebec, along the St. Lawrence Valley, 30 to 50 millimeters of rain is forecast between Sunday evening and Monday evening.
At the same time, regions north and east of Quebec, particularly Charlevoix and the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve in the Capitale-Nationale region, could receive up to 80 mm of rain.
Sectors further south such as Estrie and Beauce will be little luckier as around 25mm of rain could fall there by Monday evening.
Once the rainfall passes, temperatures could rise well above the seasonal average, reaching 10°C in Montreal and Quebec or even 14°C in Estrie and Beauce. In these latter regions, the heat records of December 18th could also be broken, explains meteorologist Julien Chartrand from Environment Canada.
Certain regions affected by flooding this season also need to be on guard because “mild temperatures will lead to melting of the snowpack, which could contribute to more runoff and increase the levels of certain rivers,” the federal agency warns.
She also states that patches of fog could accompany this rain.
A green Christmas
Given the heavy rainfall and the mild weather ahead, the chances of a white Christmas are significantly reduced, Julien Chartrand regretfully announces.
“Unfortunately, the chances are quite good that it will be a green Christmas, as there is no significant system that would leave snow in the medium term. If that were to happen, it would be really close, on the 23rd or 24th,” he explains.
According to Environment Canada, a Christmas can be considered white if 2 cm of snow can be measured on the morning of December 25th. However, only certain sectors in Quebec, such as the Hautes-Laurentides and the heights of Charlevoix, can hope that their white carpets will survive the mild period predicted for the coming days.
And again: “It will not be beautiful snow, but rather a layer of snow that has melted and glazed again,” specifies Julien Chartrand.
However, Montrealers have been relatively spoiled over the past two years, as we have to go back to 2020 to find the last green Christmas in the metropolis. Environment Canada now estimates there is a one in three chance of the presents being opened while the lawn can be seen through the window.
The situation is different in the Capitale-Nationale, where the probability of experiencing a white Christmas is around 90%. The last Green Christmas was recorded there in 2015.
Last year, Quebecers spent Christmas surrounded by a thick white carpet that was the result of a massive snowstorm that also left tens of thousands of homes without power and caused deaths across the north. comes from the United States.