Monday, April 03, 2017

More springlike with heavy rain forecast for Montreal

Spring flooding, such as that shown above in Huntigdon in 2014, is possible this week across southern Quebec. (CBC Photo)
Environment Canada has issued heavy rainfall warnings for portions of the St. Lawrence Valley. The first of two potent low pressure areas will begin to impact southern Quebec on Tuesday. Steady rain should move into Montreal early Tuesday and continue into Wednesday. Expect between 25 and 37mm (1 to 1.50 inches) of rain. The rain will cause sharp rises in area rivers and streams and could lead to some flooding. At this time no flood watches or warnings are in effect. North of Montreal, a period of freezing rain is possible early Tuesday. Closer to Quebec City and points north and east, snow is likely before a changeover to mixed precipitation and eventually rain. Icy travel is expected in those regions. Temperatures in Montreal will remain above freezing Tuesday, with lows near 2C (36F) and daytime highs of 5C (41F).

After a brief respite Wednesday afternoon, a stronger storm will move from the lower Mississippi Valley towards New York State. This system will deliver another 25 to 50mm (1 to 2 inches) of rain to southern Quebec through Friday. The rain will begin early Thursday morning and become heavy at times. The combination of heavy rain, melting snow and ice breaking up on rivers and streams, will elevate the flood risk once again as we head towards the end of the week. Monitor river levels closely, especially if you live in flood prone areas of southern Quebec.

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