Cold snap brings hope of a white Christmas in Montreal

A couple walks away after buying a Christmas tree at a farmers market in Montreal. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)

A cold Christmas awaits Montrealers this year with varying mixes of sun and clouds.

The 2023 holiday period brought temperatures that were both above seasonal and above freezing. But for this week a low of -7 C is expected Friday night.

seasonal and above freezing. But for this week, a low of -7 C is expected on Friday night.

With the wind chill, Friday night’s temperature will feel more like -17 C.

Following daytime highs of -7 C and -12 C on Saturday and Sunday, those with outdoor plans will want to be well-bundled for overnight lows of -17 C.

The Montreal area typically has daytime highs of -4 C and overnight lows of -12 C in late December. By Monday, temperatures are expected to return to the seasonal range, with a high of -9 C and a low of -10 C, starting the week.

Come Christmas Eve, Montrealers could be met with early-morning snow. A 40 per cent chance of 0.5 centimetres is expected to fall Tuesday - far from the 14.2 centimetres of snow the city has had by this time in years past.

Whether the snow will stick around through Wednesday is too soon to tell, but those celebrating can expect a high of -7 C with a mix of sun and clouds for Christmas Day.