Slow start to Spring in Montreal

Despite the calender saying spring, more snow fell in Montreal on Monday morning. It just won't warm up this year, leaving us still with piles of dirty snow and ice. (ValleyWX)

 If you think it has been a rather sluggish start to the spring season this year in Montreal, you would be right. Through March 29th, the overall average temperature at Trudeau Airport has been -5.1C (22F), the normal should be -2C (29F). The average daily high has been -0.2C (31F) compared to the normal of 2.5C (37F). Our average overnight low has been -10.1C (14F), very cold as compared to the normal low of -6.5C (20F). We have had 15 daily highs remain below the freezing point and 12 overnight lows dropped below -10C (14F) including several days below -20C (-4C). The one high note has been the lack of any major snowstorms, a trend that was established early on in 2015. As I'm writing, Montreal has had close to 30cm of snow for the month, below the normal of 36.2cm. Officially as of this past Sunday there is no snow left on the ground at Trudeau Airport, normally there should be 3-8cm. But unofficially most neighborhoods, especially off island, still have piles of dirty snow around.

So what does the immediate future hold? With the exception of this coming Friday, when we could see a high of plus 10C (50F), it looks like temperatures will remain at or below normal. We have some cold nights ahead of us including tonight when the low should be -7C (19F) with gusty northwest winds to 50km/h. Another round of snow or flurries occurred this morning, and we can expect another chance for snow by Saturday. In between, high pressure will build into southern Quebec for a couple of sunny days Tuesday and Wednesday. Temperatures will try to warm up but remain colder that we want for early April heading into Easter weekend.

Earth Hour 2015 - quiet weather weekend for Montreal

The 2015 edition of Earth Hour is upon us this Saturday, March 28th. The event, organized by the World Wildlife Federation, was first held as a "lights off" event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since then Earth Hour has grown to include over 7000 towns and cities around the world including many in southern Quebec. The idea behind the event is to raise awareness to the fragility of the planet. For one hour between 8:30 and 9:30pm local time where you live, you are asked to turn off all non-essential lights as a symbol of your commitment to the planet. Outside of the 1 hour, there are many more ways you can help all year long. For more information visit www.earthhour.org. Earth Hour is held in late March to coincide with the changing of the seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Weekend Weather
The forecast for the upcoming few days in Montreal looks rather tranquil. Clouds and flurries today will linger into the overnight across southern Quebec with perhaps a dusting to 1cm in places. Temperatures will remain below normal for the weekend with highs at the freezing point Saturday, and cold overnight lows around -10C (14F). On Sunday high pressure will briefly clear skies out for a sunny day with the mercury responding and reaching 4C (39F). By Monday another cold front and weak area of low pressure will produce showers or flurries with a high of 7C (45F).

Tornado on March 25, west of Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Twitter Photo @TwistedSkyMedia)

Tornadoes
March had been a record quiet month for severe weather across the US. As a matter of fact the extreme cold this winter had limited severe thunderstorm development this year with no tornado fatalities reported through March 25. That all changed Thursday as several storms swept across the southern plains including Oklahoma with large hail, strong winds and tornadoes. Once again Moore, Oklahoma was hard hit with widespread damage in several neighborhoods. Two fatalities were reported in Oklahoma with the Moore tornado estimated to be an EF-2 by the National Weather Service.

Spring weather for 48 hours in Montreal

More cold air will surge into eastern North America this weekend. This pattern has been all too familiar to residents since early January. (AccuWeather)

We finally managed to climb up to the freezing point Tuesday afternoon in Montreal. With bright sunshine, it felt very nice outdoors. The wind finally diminished after another breezy and cold start to the day. Low temperatures around the region Tuesday morning ranged form -13C (9F) at Trudeau Airport to as cold as -21C (-6F) in St Jovite and Sherbrooke.

Tonight will be much milder with southwest winds beginning to increase as high pressure moves east of the region. On Wednesday clouds will increase from the west as low pressure and a warm front move from southern Ontario into southern Quebec. Light rain will develop during the day in Ontario and spread into Montreal by late evening. Freezing rain is possible in portions of southwest Ontario early Wednesday morning, warnings are in place there. Some mixed snow is possible well north of Montreal but it should be above freezing in the city by the time the precipitation arrives. The mild southwest winds will help the temperature to rise to plus 6C (43F) on Wednesday in Montreal, and 8C (47F) on Thursday. Temperatures will remain above the freezing point Wednesday night in southern Quebec keeping any precipitation in the liquid form.

On Thursday a trough associated with this low as well as a strong cold front will move across southern Quebec with rain falling most of the day. A decent soaking is likely in Montreal with perhaps as much as 15mm. It will turn much colder Thursday night into Friday, with some mixed wet snow and rain showers possible. Temperatures will fall through the day Friday from plus 1C (34F) down to -11C (12F) by Saturday morning. It will be similar to last weekend with arctic high pressure over the region, but not nearly as cold.

Wicked cold Sunday in Montreal

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre braved the cold along with thousands of others on Sunday for the 192nd Annual Montreal St. Patrick's Day Parade. (United Irish Society of Montreal Photo)

Despite the fact the calendar says spring, the season has yet to arrive. Sunday was another of oh so many cold days in Montreal these last few months. The temperature struggled to make it to -10C (14F), a full 15 degrees below the normal high for the date. If that was not enough, cold northwest winds over 50km/h put a dangerous windchill in the air. It was not enough to stop thousands from participating and watching the 192nd Annual Montreal St. Patrick's Day Parade. They bundled up and endured near record cold. The low Sunday morning was -16C (3F), just shy of the record of -16.7 (2F) set in 1959. This morning we are no better off, again at -16C (3F), and once again just shy of the record low of -17.2C (1F) set in 1997. Today will be windy and cold again with a high of -6C (21F). There is some good news, this arctic high pressure will drift east and allow a warm front to move into southern Quebec and Ontario by Wednesday. The result will be a high of 0C (32F) on Tuesday, and all the way up to 7C (45F) by Wednesday. Sunshine today and Tuesday followed by thickening clouds Wednesday with the chance of light rain by the afternoon.

We also managed snow over the weekend in Montreal with around 5cm on Saturday. Eastern Quebec had the brunt of the latest storm as it has most of the season. Up to 20cm fell across the Gaspe and Lower North Shore with strong winds and blowing snow. With only one full week left in March, the snow pack is very deep across the eastern third of the country. While Montreal has between 5 and 10cm of snow on the ground officially at Trudeau Airport, more in the suburbs, Halifax has 92cm and Charlottetown, PEI a whopping 146cm. We may have snow around until the end of April this year!

Spring arrives today at 6:45pm

A spectacular view of the total eclipse of the sun taking place today across parts of far northern Europe and Asia. 
This photo was taken in Svalbard, Norway. (AP)

You made it through another winter in Montreal! The Vernal Equinox is at 6:45pm EDT today across North America heralding the arrival of spring. It is just part of a celestial show being put on by mother nature today. At the same time that spring arrives, we have a super moon and a total eclipse of the sun, visible across the North Atlantic and portions of extreme northern Europe and Asia. By all accounts it has been spectacular.

The weather will eventually catch up to the season but sadly not this weekend. Low pressure moving through the middle Atlantic states this morning will ride up the eastern seaboard and give more snow to winter weary New England and Atlantic Canada this weekend. The snow and strong winds will reach as far west as the Gaspe region. Here in southern Quebec we can expect a sunny, milder Friday with temperatures above freezing to plus 3C (38F). Tonight weak low pressure will arrive from western Canada along with a strong cold front. Light snow will develop tonight and mix with rain on Saturday. Saturday will be mild again at 2C (36F). That cold front will slice across Ontario and Quebec on Saturday night with gusty northwest winds and periods of snow and blowing snow. Snowfall will be light, 2-4cm for Montreal. The big news will be the rapidly dropping temperatures behind the arctic front, down to -16 to -20C (3 to -4F) by Sunday morning and only climbing to around -9C (16F) during the daylight hours Sunday. It will feel even colder than that with a strong northwest wind all day. It will turn milder next week.

Cold weather better than snow?

Halifax on Wednesday morning. Over 60cm of snow and strong winds turned the city into a wintry ghost town. 
(Metro News Photo)

Cold better than snow, a question or a statement, depending on which weather you prefer. The fact is all the cold weather Montreal and southern Quebec has been experiencing since late December has in fact kept our snow totals down. Montreal has not recorded one single snow event over 20cm this winter, and we have only had 22cm this month. Halifax had that much snow in just a few hours on Wednesday. The arctic high pressure that has been so dominant in our area has deflected the storms further south and east. A difference of as little as 160km has saved us from being buried.

Such was the case again this week as two more storms skirted the east coast with heavy snow across the Maritimes and eastern New England. Charlottetown, PEI has broken a seasonal record with over 463cm of snow so far, more than Whistler, B.C. On Wednesday the brunt of the most recent storm hit Halifax, Nova Scotia, shutting down the city. Over 60cm of snow fell in less than 24 hours, blown around by 70km/h winds. Another coastal storm is forecast for this upcoming weekend. That storm will pass south and east of Montreal bringing snow to places like New York and Boston Saturday and into Atlantic Canada Sunday.

Meanwhile arctic high pressure will remain in control in Montreal with sunny and cold weather today. A series of fronts will bring milder air Friday and Saturday but with some light snow expected. A strong cold front will cross the city Saturday night with snow squalls, strong winds and dropping temperatures. The high on Friday and Saturday will be above freezing at 2C (36F) but drop to a high of only -5C (23F) for Sunday, well below the normal high of 4C (39F).

Cold week ahead for Montreal

The relentless winter in eastern Canada continued Monday with a fierce blizzard bringing travel to a standstill in Newfoundland. (CBC News)

Happy St Patrick's Day, I wish I had better weather news. It looks like a period of below normal temperatures is upon us yet again lasting into next weekend. It is the same old story across North America, record warmth in portions of the west and southwestern US with biting cold and snowstorms in the east. This morning we have a potent cold front moving across southeastern Ontario and southern Quebec. Light snow is falling in Montreal as we have dropped to the freezing point. The snow is mixed with rain in other parts of the region. The precipitation will taper off by noon with about 5cm in most locations. Winds will increase out of the northwest 30-60km/h shortly and temperatures will drop all day to -3C (27F) by evening. Skies will clear out this evening with a cold overnight low of -12C (10F). Wednesday will be sunny but cold for middle March reaching only -4C (25F). The normal high should be 3C (38F). By the weekend the coldest air in North America will be located over Quebec and New England.

On Monday the biggest snowstorm of the year dumped nearly 40cm of snow on Newfoundland with winds in excess of 100km/h. The snow closed most roads and stranded numerous motorists. The same storm had hit the Maritimes hard on Sunday with blizzard conditions. Meanwhile another couple of inches of snow in Boston has pushed them over the 1995 record to 108.5" of snow, the snowiest winter on record. As all this was going on in the east, portions of the northern plains and Midwest had record high temperatures in the 70's and 80's. Even normally cold and snowy Winnipeg managed a high of 14C (56F) on Sunday with no snow on the ground to speak of.