Montreal, Quebec, has experienced its warmest fall on record, and as a result, has not seen any significant snowfall. However, this is set to change with an incoming Alberta clipper, which will bring the first accumulating snow of the season.
The last time Montreal saw snow accumulation was in April 2024, when it recorded 20.2 cm over two days, including a trace of 0.2 cm on April 5th. Now, as an Alberta clipper moves in, Montreal could finally see snowfall again this week.
This week, a surge of Arctic air will move south through Central Canada, shifting eastward and bringing colder temperatures into early December. The Alberta clipper is expected to spill eastward, reaching southern Quebec and Montreal.
Some regions, like the Laurentians, could receive up to 20 cm of snow, while northern Montreal may see 5-10 cm. Travel disruptions are likely, so people planning to travel should prepare for possible delays.
The clipper will begin moving into western Quebec on Wednesday morning and then reach the St. Lawrence region by midday. Snow will start in Gatineau around noon, followed by Montreal in the early afternoon, and the Eastern Townships later in the evening.
Areas near Mont Tremblant and the Laurentians could see between 10-20 cm of snow, while southern parts of Montreal are expected to receive lighter amounts. In the Eastern Townships, higher elevations may push snow totals above 10 cm, and parts of eastern Quebec, especially around Sept-Îles, could experience up to 30 cm.
Roads are likely to become slippery as snow accumulates and temperatures hover around freezing. Temperatures will remain below freezing on Wednesday, with a slight increase on Thursday when the mercury may briefly rise just above freezing. This follows Montreal’s first -5°C reading of the season on Monday morning, its latest on record.
As the clipper moves out of the region, the coldest air of the season so far will settle in, bringing strong northwesterly winds gusting up to 60 km/h on Thursday. Thursday night into Friday morning will bring the coldest temperatures of the week.
A weaker clipper is expected late Friday night into Saturday, bringing a few centimeters of snow. Montreal is also forecast to experience its first -10°C temperature overnight on Friday.
However, temperatures will warm up slightly next week, with a more dynamic weather pattern expected in mid- to late December, potentially bringing rain and messy conditions as the region sees a clash between Arctic air to the northwest and milder weather to the south.