Tempête De Neige Québec: Storm Set To Sweep Large Parts Of Province With Heavy Snow, Wind And Rain
Tempête De Neige Québec is expected to sweep a large portion of the province beginning Sunday evening and persist into Monday or Tuesday morning in some areas, bringing a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain, meteorologists warn.
Tempête De Neige Québec: Where Snow, Rain And Ice Will Fall
The system is a Colorado low that will move up toward Quebec and produce predominantly snow in affected northern sectors, meteorologist Guillaume Perron of Environment Canada noted. Forecast guidance from provincial bulletins and weather services shows varying accumulation ranges by region. In Abitibi-Témiscamingue, on the Côte-Nord and in the Far North, totals are expected between 20 and 50 cm in places. The northwest of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and parts of Mauricie are forecast to see roughly 15 to 30 cm, while the Laurentides are likely to receive closer to 5 to 10 cm.
Some weather services highlight even higher localized amounts: a forecast points to as much as 40 to 50 cm between Matagami and Val-d’Or, and very heavy, sustained snowfall is possible in parts of the Abitibi that could yield more than 25 cm within a 24-hour period.
Lower-altitude and river-valley areas, including the Saint Lawrence valley and the greater Montreal region, are expected to see mainly rain rather than snow. Precipitation in southern sectors may begin as snow and quickly change to rain as temperatures rise above freezing.
Wind, Visibility, Freezing Rain And Temperature Swings
Winds will strengthen as the system moves through. Widespread gusts in the 50 to 80 km/h range are possible in many regions, with some forecasts indicating gusts could approach or exceed 100 km/h in the eastern part of the province. These winds could produce powdery snow and sudden reductions in visibility.
The transition from snow to rain raises the risk of freezing rain in some areas. Environment Canada cautions that freezing rain could leave a glaze of roughly 2 to 5 mm on surfaces in transition zones, increasing the potential for hazardous travel conditions.
Rainfall amounts are expected to be notable in some southern sectors: forecasts show totals of 15 to 25 mm in Montreal and 20 to 30 mm on the North Shore in some scenarios. Temperatures in the south may climb above 10 °C in places during the warm spell, while locations farther north could see values only slightly above freezing.
After the temporary warm-up, a marked return to much colder air is expected. Overnight lows later in the period could fall sharply; models show minimums dropping below −10 °C across much of the province and reaching about −20 °C in some northern areas following the passage of the system.
Impacts, Travel Risks And What Comes Next
Environment Canada has issued storm and winter weather advisories for wide swaths of Quebec, including an active winter-storm warning stretching from the west of the province to the Côte-Nord. Travel conditions will likely become difficult in many affected zones: heavy snowfall, blowing snow and episodes of near-zero visibility are expected, and intermittent road closures remain possible.
Forecasters emphasize the rapid sequence of hazards: heavy snow in northern regions, a transitional phase with freezing rain in some areas, a substantial warm-up bringing rain to the valleys and urban centers, followed by a sharp cooldown that returns much colder conditions. Residents in the projected path should monitor local weather bulletins and be prepared for changing conditions through the Monday–Tuesday timeframe.
The situation will continue to evolve as the system progresses; official weather bulletins and advisories remain the best sources for the latest region-specific guidance on accumulations, wind warnings and travel impacts.
