Polar vortex incoming: Montreal's weather is about to get brrr-utally cold

Get ready, Montreal. We're about to be hit with a cold slap in the face.

After getting plenty of snow to start off the year, it looks like winter isn't done throwing curveballs our way. According to the latest Montreal weather forecasts, a wave of brutal cold is expected to hit Quebec this weekend as the polar vortex sets in.

In southern Quebec, temperatures could take a dramatic plunge of up to 16 degrees between January 19 and 20, with daytime highs struggling to climb above minus 20. It could turn out to be the coldest stretch of the winter, lasting about a week.

Interestingly, meteorologists had initially called for mild January weather throughout the province. But Mother Nature clearly has other plans.

Our province is not alone, though — if it makes you feel any better.

As per The Weather Network, "Much colder-than-normal temperatures will dominate across North America east of the Rockies next week, including severe cold for the Prairies and northern Ontario with wind chills into the -40s."

So, how will Montreal fare?

According to The Weather Network's forecast, Montreal will get the worst of the vortex from Sunday, January 19 to Tuesday, January 21. Monday, January 20 will feature highs of just minus 19 and overnight lows of minus 26.

If that wasn't cold enough for you, it's expected to feel like minus 34 with 20 km/h wind gusts. Yikes.

For context, Montreal hasn't seen the thermometer drop below minus 20 since February 2023. Over the past five years, the coldest temperatures have mainly come our way in the second half of January, although the peaks have often occurred later in the season.

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