Heavy snow warning issued for Montreal, with 20 cm falling by Thursday

A heavy snow warning is in effect for the Montreal area, with 15 to 20 centimetres expected from Wednesday morning into Thursday evening.

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says strong winds on Thursday will create blowing snow, sharply reducing visibility and making travel difficult. The agency warns of significant impacts on rush-hour traffic and urges motorists to allow extra time.

“There is a yellow warning in effect right now,” said Peter Kimbell, meteorologist for ECCC. “It’s snowing already but heavy snow will start around noon, continue through Thursday morning, much lighter tomorrow. More significant snowfall today, tonight, taper off tomorrow.”

Snow continues through Wednesday, with five to 10 centimetres during the day and another five to 10 centimetres overnight as winds shift west at 20 km/h.

“Driving will be tricky, commuting times will be chaotic,” said David Phillips, a senior climatologist with ECCC. “It’ll just be very tricky and slick and dangerous to get around. So that is the worry, that this is just not the snow. But it is really the blowing and drifting snow that reduced visibility that will create the hardship for drivers, pedestrians, anybody who ventures out.”

“I drive every single morning where it’s like 6 a.m. where it’s like pitch black. So I’m honestly a bit worried about conditions on the road,” added Montrealer Laurenz Gomez.

On Thursday, another two to four centimetres of snow is forecast along with westerly winds gusting to 60 km/h. Temperatures will fall to minus-9 Celsius in the afternoon, with wind chills near minus-18 C.

Periods of snow linger Thursday night, followed by calmer but cold conditions. 

“Winds will pick up Thursday morning, blowing snow is expected on Thursday,” warned Kimbell.

Added Montrealer Athena Bishop: “Excited. I’m dressed. I have a five-year-old, so it’s kind of obvious. You’ve got to have snow. It’s winter. It’s a lot cleaner than other cities where it’s just all mud. So we’re excited. We’re stoked.”

Friday will bring a mix of sun and cloud with a high of minus-5 C. Saturday is expected to be cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of flurries and a high of minus-2 C, with snow returning Saturday night.

Flurries continue Sunday, with a high of minus-7 C, before skies clear and temperatures fall to minus-16 C overnight. Monday will be sunny with a high of minus-10 C, and Tuesday will bring a mix of sun and cloud with a high of minus-6.

With the snow already fallen — about 50-60 cm so far, compared to the usual 40 cm by now — Montreal is sitting well above average heading into the holidays. Forecasters say that puts the city on track for a white Christmas this year.

“Last year you had a white Christmas. The year before you didn’t,” Phillips said. “In fact, in the last 11 years, five of them have been green. Well, this one, I think it’s going to be clearly a white Christmas. It may be a white Easter.”

–With files from Lola Kalder