Smog, severe thunderstorm warnings for Montreal

Montreal was under smog and thunderstorm warnings Saturday morning, putting a damper on Moving Day plans and Canada Day celebrations in and around the city.

Environment Canada issued the smog warning at 11:15 a.m. before issuing the thunderstorm warning five minutes later.

The smog, a result of the continuing forest fires in northern Quebec, is resulting in poor air quality in Montreal. Environment Canada says those conditions may continue into Sunday.

The national weather authority says asthmatic children and people with respiratory ailments or heart disease are particularly at risk.

Montreal’s air quality ranked third worst in the world Sunday, according to a website that tracks air quality and pollution in major cities across the globe.

Montreal’s air quality index (AQI) was at 136 – labelled unhealthy for sensitive groups – on IQAir’s ranking of 95 cities.

Jakarta, Indonesia was first with an AQI of 158, followed by Lahore, Pakistan at 140.

Montreal topped the list last weekend when it’s AQI was at 226 – deemed very unhealthy.

Also Sunday, Montreal was under a severe thunderstorm warning. Environment Canada says very strong wind gusts, toonie-size hail and heavy rain were in the forecast.

“Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.”