Montreal Is Under A Freezing Rain Alert That Warns Of 'Extremely Hazardous' Conditions Ahead
Environment Canada says there could be 1 to 2 cm of "freezing precipitation."
A parked car covered in ice on a residential Montreal street.
Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for a huge swath of Ontario and southern Quebec stretching from Lake Superior to the Chaudière-Appalaches and Estrie regions. Between Outaouais, the Laurentides, Montreal and Montérégie, the forecast calls for between 1 and 2 centimetres of "freezing precipitation" Wednesday.
The federal meteorological department further warns of "extremely hazardous" conditions on roads and sidewalks as a result.
The seven-day forecast shows temperatures peaking at O C in Montreal during the day Wednesday. Environment Canada predicts the freezing rain will turn into regular rain by Wednesday night and continue through Thursday as the thermostat climbs to a relatively balmy 8 C.
The Weather Network's forecast is comparable, though a bit more generous with the temperatures, calling for a high of 2 C Wednesday and 12 C Thursday.
Montrealers will at least be able to enjoy a pleasant Tuesday before the mess on Wednesday. EnviroCan shows sunny skies (with some cloud cover) and a daytime high of 9 C.
Such dramatic temperature swings and capricious weather are typical for Montreal in April. Though between 1981 and 2010 the city had an average daily April temperature of 6.4 C, its average daily maximum temperature was 11.6 C and its average daily minimum was 1.2 C, according to Environment Canada records.