MONTREAL -- A low-pressure system is set to hit Quebec, dumping significant amounts of rain, freezing rain or snow, depending on the location.
"It's a system that is quite significant, coming from the Gulf of Mexico region,'' explained meteorologist Simon Legault of Environment and Climate Change Canada in an interview with The Canadian Press.
"It is bringing a lot of humidity and a lot of heat too. Again, the temperature will yoyo up a lot in the day from Saturday until evening and go down in the day on Sunday to colder temperatures."
This freezing rain should leave an accumulation of 2 to 4 millimetres of ice on waking paths, but it will melt fairly quickly due to the heavy rain expected by Sunday morning since 25 to 35 millimetres are expected.
Elsewhere, Quebecers will face winter conditions further north as the precipitation linked to this low-pressure system will fall as snow.
"In Outaouais, Lac-Saint-Jean and part of the North Shore, we expect 20 to 30 cm, maybe even 40 cm of snow," said Legault. "They will not receive a lot of rain or none at all, but there will be more snow which will accumulate with winter conditions."
After the rain, the good weather, but ...
Residents of the greater Montreal region look to be partly spared from this weather cocktail, although the metropolis should receive 10-15 mm of rain. Even elsewhere, after the rain, it will briefly be nice weather, explained the Environment Canada meteorologist.
"For example, in the Montreal area, the mercury will rise to 6 degrees Celsius during the afternoon. It is a temperature that is well above seasonal norms. At this time of year, normally it's -2," he said.
The warmth will not last long since it will get really cold Sunday, and this time, no one will likely be able to escape it.
"It will be very windy in many regions of Quebec in the day on Sunday with gusts at 50, 60, even 70km/h,'' said Legault. "There are regions that will have a little bit of snow. It won't necessarily be large quantities, but with the winds it could cause problems on the roads with blowing snow."
Once the whims of Mother Nature are over, the expression "make sure your tuque is securely fastened" will take on its full meaning as Quebec plunges into extreme colds worthy of the end of January.
"For the Quebec region, next week, we expect temperatures of -15 and -20 degrees. (...) If we go to Lac-Saint-Jean, it will be even colder with nights at -25 degrees Celsius possibly and highs between -15 and -20," said Legault.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 14, 2019.
