A more westerly track equals snow for Montreal

SNOWFALL WARNING POSTED FOR METRO MONTREAL @ 11:30AM

SNOW AMOUNTS FORECAST:
Quebec City - Townships - Burlington - Plattsburgh 15-30cm (6-12")
Vaudreuil - South Shore 10-15cm (4-6")
Montreal 15cm (6")
Cornwall 5-10cm (2-4")
Kemptville 2-5cm (1-2")

This has been one harsh winter in so many places. The photo above from Global News Regina is a major accident involving 6 vehicles (including the Ambulance) on the Trans Canada Highway near Pense, Saskatchewan. The road was closed between Moose Jaw and Regina for hours Wednesday. 

Winter storm warnings are in effect for Quebec City and the Eastern Townships as well as all of Vermont and eastern New York. The much advertised winter storm (at least on this Blog) will arrive later today and into the overnight hours. Strong low pressure that has given the southern US a major ice and snow storm will lift from Cape Hatteras northeast to Cape Cod overnight and into Atlantic Canada on Friday. Clouds will increase in Montreal today along with a strengthening northeast wind. The snow starts this evening and will last until about noon on Friday. There will be a sharp cutoff in amounts as you head north and west but look for a good 5-10cm for metro Montreal with as much as 15cm across the South Shore and up to 30cm in the Townships and Quebec City. While no warnings are in effect for Montreal at this time, strong winds, up to 60km/h will cause considerable blowing and drifting snow on off island highways. Further east the heavy snow will be accompanied by winds up to 100km/h around Quebec City. I would advise not to travel south or east tonight and Friday.

Eastern Ontario has a special weather statement in place for snow and wind overnight with about 5cm possible. Travel down the 401 towards Cornwall and Prescott will be tricky but once west of the 416, it should be much better. Temperatures are cold again this morning at -20C here on L'Ile Perrot. Look for highs around -10C today warming overnight tonight to -4C or so in the snow by Friday.

The weather has been nasty in so many places. Yesterday this same storm created traffic gridlock on many North Carolina Highways including Raleigh and Charlotte and virtually shut down Atlanta. Ice covered trees and power lines came crashing down across Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas with hundreds of thousands in the dark.

Meanwhile snow and blowing snow from a clipper system out west created dangerous travel across the southern Prairies with roads closed in Saskatchewan and numerous major accidents with injuries.