Light snow, lingering cold as Montreal begins major snow-loading operation Tuesday evening
Posted January 27, 2026 7:57 am.
Last Updated January 27, 2026 12:18 pm.
Light snow and cold temperatures are sticking around this week as the City of Montreal begins its fifth snow-loading operation of the season, following significant accumulation earlier this week.
The city says snow loading will get underway Tuesday evening, with the first trucks hitting the streets around 7 p.m. Nearly 3,000 workers and about 2,500 snow removal vehicles will be deployed across Montreal’s 11,000 kilometres of streets.
The operation is expected to take several days.
City officials had initially indicated snow loading would be delayed due to staffing issues, but reversed course Monday evening after snowfall piled up more than expected. Residents are being asked to watch for instructions from their boroughs and take simple steps, such as respecting parking restrictions, to help speed up operations.
Cold and snow continue through the week
Meanwhile, cloudy skies are expected today, with periods of light snow beginning near noon. Temperatures will reach a high of minus–11 Celsius, with wind chill values near minus–25 C this morning and minus–18 C this afternoon.
“The airport reported about 15 centimetres of snow yesterday, while much of the greater Montreal area picked up between 12 and 18 centimetres,” said Simon Legault, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.“For today, we’re really only expecting a few flakes, with light snow at times adding up to less than a centimetre.”
Light snow is expected to taper off this evening before skies clear overnight, with temperatures dropping to minus–18 C.
“There could be a few flakes overnight, mainly before midnight, but this is a weak system and some neighbourhoods may not see any snow at all,” said Legault. “Temperatures are set to get colder through the week, but there are signs we could see a warm-up heading into next week.”
Wednesday will bring a mix of sun and cloud, with west winds picking up in the morning and a high near minus–11 C. Cold conditions continue through the end of the workweek, with daytime highs between minus–12 C and minus–13 C and overnight lows dipping to minus–18 C at times.
More sunshine is expected by the weekend, with Saturday looking sunny and a high near minus–9 C. Sunday is forecast to stay sunny as well, with temperatures climbing closer to minus–7 C.
“It will be a cold week, but conditions will still be good for outdoor activities as long as people dress warmly,” Legault added.
