Quebecers planning to take advantage of the weekend for outdoor activities will need to bundle up as temperatures are expected to be cold due to an arctic air mass that has been affecting the province since Friday.
With generally cloudy skies and intermittent snowfall, significant wind chill will begin over the south and central parts of the province on Saturday.
Wind speeds of 10 to 20 km/h will sweep regions south of the national capital, particularly Montreal, Estrie and Outaouais. The regions of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Abitibi-Témiscamingue can expect stronger wind speeds of up to 30 km/h.
On the north coast and the Gaspé Peninsula the day promises to be milder, with some clearing during the day on Saturday and even more on Sunday.
The Montreal area is expected to see a high of -10°C on Saturday with a wind chill of -24°C in the morning and -18°C in the afternoon. In the evening temperatures cool down and reach -22°C. However, the sky should clear on Sunday and herald a much sunnier day.
The Quebec region expects similar weather conditions, albeit slightly milder, on Saturday and Sunday. Citizens of the Capitale-Nationale can expect a maximum of 7°C, accompanied by a wind chill of -21 degrees on Saturday morning and -14 degrees in the afternoon.
For its part, Abitibi expects colder temperatures on Saturday, with a maximum of -14°C and a feeling of -27°C during the day. Wind chill should become stronger overnight (-32) before warming slightly Sunday afternoon (-16).
In the Charlevoix region and on the north bank of the river, a clear morning is expected with relatively mild temperatures compared to the rest of the province, i.e. -8°C and a felt -13°C in the afternoon.