Warm but wet week ahead for southern Quebec

Emergency crews flank the West Jet Boeing 737 that slid off the runway Friday afternoon at Trudeau Airport in Montreal. (AP Photo)

Heavy rain showers on Friday afternoon in Montreal forced a West Jet Boeing 737, Flight 588 from Toronto, off the runway and into a grassy area at Trudeau Airport. None of the 110 passengers or crew were injured in the accident that occurred around 2:45pm in a blinding rain. Emergency crews were on the scene in seconds, but with no threat of fire, passengers were allowed to exit the plane normally. The aircraft was fully evacuated by 4pm but remained in the grass as officials carried out their investigation. This cause long delays for other aircraft arriving and departing.

The rain Friday put a damper on events at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix but thankfully most of the day was dry and the balance of the weekend was perfect for the main event.

WET WEEK AHEAD
A series of low pressure areas will move along the international border this week and produce a very humid period of weather for Montreal. Over the next 24 to 36 hours periods of showers, some heavy at times and perhaps thunder as well, will put down 25-50mm (1-2 inches) of rainfall over the entire region. I have recorded 13.6mm already since midnight or about 1/2 inch here on L'Ile Perrot. Temperatures will be near normal to start the week with the clouds and showers keeping highs in the low 20's. It will be mild overnight with lows around 15C. By Wednesday some clearing will allow the mercury to creep up into the middle 20's. By Thursday more showers and thunderstorms are possible as the rather humid weather continues.

Meanwhile a large ridge in western Canada is pumping some of the hottest June air on record into interior portions of the Pacific northwest and British Columbia. Temperatures in the Okanagon Valley exceeded 35C (95F) yesterday and will do the same today. Temperatures were over 38C (100F) in Oregon.