First frost - but warmer weekend ahead

Not a very dramatic photo, but it does tell the story, frost on this last week of summer. The temperature dipped to 1C (33F) on L'Ile Perrot this morning with patchy frost around, two to three weeks ahead of the average date.

After we get the nonsense of this first frost out of the way, it looks like the weekend will be much warmer. Fall does not arrive until this Monday, but the geese are heading south this morning, and I wish I could join them. Temperatures under clear skies dropped quickly last night, but a northeast breeze saved us here in Montreal from widespread freezing temperatures. The low on L'Ile Perrot was 1C (33F) just after 4am. The mercury dropped to -1C (30F) in Cornwall, -3C (27F) in Kemptville and Sherbrooke, and a very cold -5C (23F) in St Jovite, 1 hour north of Montreal. There is patchy frost on the ground here in the city, and a coating of thin ice on some windshields including mine. Other regions around us were much colder as noted, with several hours of freezing temperatures including the Adirondacks, Laurentians, Townships and rural eastern Ontario. Lows in those regions ranged from 0 to -5C.

We will recover nicely today under sunny skies with highs near 14C (56F). Clouds will be on the increase tonight as a warm front moves into the St. Lawrence Valley. The front will bring scattered showers on Saturday, it will be windy and warmer with highs near 22C (72F). Most of the day will be dry and great for outdoor activities. By Sunday a cold front will bring more general showers, a wet and cloudy day can be expected, but it remain mild, near 22C.