Over 2,000 Quebecers still without power after freezing rain

FILE: A person leaps over a puddle of water and slush as rain falls in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Montrealers commuting Friday morning had to tread carefully after rapidly rising temperatures and rain made for slick city streets.

That rain is expected to continue off-and-on through the workday as temperatures sit around three degrees.

Downpour will give way to flurries in the evening as gusting winds make for a low of minus 13 with the wind chill overnight.

Those sick of the wet weather can look forward to a clear weekend.

Saturday morning is expected to be sunny with a high of minus two, but the wind chill will make it feel more like minus 14.

Environment Canada expects temperatures to warm up to minus eight with the wind chill by the afternoon.

Sunday should also be sunny, with a high of three.

THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER

Overnight freezing rain put several thousand Quebecers in the dark Friday morning.

At around 6:45 a.m., Hydro-Quebec reported about 50 outages across Quebec, with more than 18,000 customers affected.

The most affected regions were the Laurentians, Lanaudière, Montérégie and Centre-du-Québec.

The situation had improved significantly by around 3 p.m., when 37 outages left just over 2,000 customers without power. 

An up-to-date map of ongoing outages can be found here.

-- Published with files from The Canadian Press