'We were screaming': High winds and violent storms rip through southern Quebec
A series of storms ripped through southern Quebec Saturday, unearthing trees, causing highway standstills and leaving hundreds of thousands without power.
Environment Canada lit up residents' phones with warnings of potentially life-threatening storms, encouraging people to take shelter from violent weather descending across the province's south.
"It happened super fast," said Melissa Dufresne who, on a vacation to a friend's property in Saint-Jovite, Que., found herself in the path of raucous winds.
She had been sitting in a gazebo surrounded by trees -- many of which snapped under the pressure.
"It was like 10 seconds, all this destruction," she said, speaking to CTV while surrounded by fallen trees and debris.
Thankfully, no one was hurt, and the horses had been gathered safely inside before the storm hit.
"We were screaming," she said. "All the trees were falling at the same time."
Heavy winds felled several trees in Saint-Jovite, Que., blocking road access on May 21, 2022 (Image courtesy of Amelie Fardeau)
Nearby where Dufresne was sitting, a large tree was torn out of the ground, battering down a fence running the length of the property.
Several people wrote to CTV reporting blocked roads and standstill traffic because of the storm. Others complained of power outages and sent images of gumball-sized hail.
Saint-Gregoire resident Nancy Sissy snapped this picture of the hail which fell during heavy thunderstorms on Saturday, May 21, 2022 (Photo courtesy of Nancy Sissy)
By 5 p.m. 200,000 people were without power, according to Hydro Quebec.
"We want to assure you that we are doing everything possible to restore power as quickly as possible," wrote the company in a statement on its website.
The storm was caused in part by a mass of hot air travelling westward through lower Quebec. Stormclouds passed over some areas, while wreaking havoc in others.
That air mass also made for intense heat through the morning in Montreal, with humidex ratings forecasted into the thirties.
Some areas in Quebec are still under thunderstorm advisories. An up-to-date list can be found on Environment Canada's website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.