Southwestern Quebec is getting ready to sizzle.
Daytime highs could hit the 30-degree mark for the next three days in many cities, including Montreal, marking an official heat wave.
The temperature in Montreal on Thursday is expected to soar to 31 degrees Celsius, A new record high for May 12.
And with daytime highs projected to be around the 30-degree mark on Friday and Saturday, the city could break daily temperature records for May 13 and 14 as well.
Montrealers have been experiencing an unusually prolonged stretch of sunny, dry weather. Thursday marks the eighth straight day without a drop of rain - the longest stretch since August 2021. And it looks like the trend will continue into the start of the weekend.
The warmth was late arriving this year. Just over three weeks ago, Montreal picked up nearly 20 cm of snow, on April 19. And the city only recorded its first 20-degree temperature reading of the year at the beginning of this week, on Monday, May 9, with a high of 23.6 C. That is the latest first 20-degree reading we’ve seen in the season since 1989. The city typically sees its first 20-degree reading by mid-April.
The stretch of dry weather is expected to come to an end on Saturday night, as showers move in. The second half of the weekend is expected to feature thunderstorms and temperatures will gradually drop through the middle of next week.
