Polar vortex to bring coldest air in years to parts of Quebec
So far, the winter season across Southwestern Quebec has been marked by above-average snowfall and above-average temperatures. But that is about to change.
Cold, arctic air has been gradually pushing into the province. Many residents across Northern Quebec woke up to extreme cold warnings Tuesday morning.
Extreme cold warnings in effect on Jan. 31, 2023.
Wind chills in places like Abitibi and Témiscamingue were between -38 and -42 Tuesday morning, while Salluit, in the extreme northern tip of the province, recorded a wind chill of -52.
The colder air is pressing south for the final day of January. Montreal is expecting its coldest maximum of the season so far, with a daytime high of -11 degrees Celsius. The projected high would be 5° below average, and it would be the first time the city would stay in the minus double digits so far this winter season.
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. day planner for Jan. 31, 2023.
Tuesday night, the city is expected to record its first minus 20-degree reading of the season so far, with a forecast low of -21 C.
Forecast low temperatures in Quebec for Jan. 31, 2023.
After a brief warm-up, on Wednesday and Thursday, even colder air will move in for the first weekend of February. An arctic front will push through on Thursday, bringing flurries, and opening the door to the polar vortex.
Upper air analysis for Jan. 31, 2023.
Montreal will not only see its coldest air of the season this weekend, but its coldest readings in years. The temperature Friday night is expected to drop to -28 C with a wind chill around -40. The mercury is expected to stay below -20 on Saturday and the wind chill is expected to stay around -30.
Five-day forecast for the Montreal area starting Jan. 31. 2023.
The last time Montreal recorded a daytime high below -20 C was on January 6, 2018.
Fortunately, the extreme cold will be short-lived. Temperatures will bounce back above the freezing mark on Sunday with about five centimetres of snow.
Seven-day forecast for Montreal, starting Jan. 31, 2023.
NORMAL HIGH: -6 C
NORMAL LOW: -15 C
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.