Snow for Montrealers as Holidays begin
Posted December 24, 2024 8:26 am.
Last Updated December 24, 2024 5:22 pm.
Montreal commuters had a tough drive Tuesday morning, after a large accumulation of snow fell overnight.
By 10 a.m., about 13 cm fell on the region.
There were several road accidents overnight, especially on highway 20, 40 and the 15. These accidents also led to temporary road closures.
As of Tuesday morning, most major roads were still covered with some snow, according to data from the Transport Ministry. Visibility was also reduced in some places, it was warned.
In Côte-des-Neiges, many residents, including Cherie Siganay, could be seen removing snow from their cars.
“I’m really late for work now because of cleaning the car, you know, but it’s okay,” said Siganay.
“I love snow. It’s beautiful, Quebec. I love shoveling it, I love cleaning the snow, playing in the snow,” explained Kamen Boiadjiev who was also wiping snow from his car in Côte-des-Neiges.
The situation gradually improved during the day, as the precipitation ended in the morning. However, the snow is still heavily prevalent in some areas.
“Not too bad, it could have been worse, it’s really fluffy snow so pretty easy to move,” said Peter Dydyk, a snowplow operator for Déneigement Husky, about removing snow from driveways at homes in Montreal. “A little bit tired but all in all not too bad for a first big snowfall.”
“For us, it’s not challenging,” explained Robby, a snow shoveler for Déneigement Husky, adding, “the more the better, keep in shape.”
According to Environment Canada’s weather warning on Monday, 10 to 15 centimetres of snow was expected to fall, mainly during the night, in southern and western Quebec.
The most affected areas were Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Outaouais, Montreal, Montérégie, Lanaudière, Laurentides, Mauricie, Centre-du-Québec and Estrie.
“It looks like it’s very nice, but outside it’s very bad. I don’t like it,” said Sampita Saha, a Montrealer, about the snow.
“Well, you know, it’s Christmas coming up. It’s always good to have a, you know, white Christmas. Just brings a little bit more ambience to the whole whole situation,” said Teklad Pavisian, a Montrealer living in Côte-des-Neiges.
“I feel like we have a white Christmas and it’s very nice,” added Siganay.
In Montreal parks, kids and adults could also be seen taking advantage of the fresh powder in one of the first real snow days of the season.
Rémy Frery was cross-country skiing in Mackenzie-King park, cutting his own path through the freshly fallen snow.
“It’s fun to start in a white magic park with no tracks, no foot tracks, and to start from scratch, it’s really really interesting,” explained Frery.
After the snow, sun and clouds on Tuesday was forecasted. However, temperatures are expected to drop -19 degrees tonight.
–With files from La Presse Canadienne, translated by CityNews