March Montreal Weather Was Drearily Average — Here's How April Weather Looks

Rainy? Chilly? Surprise snow flurries? What more could you want?

The Chinese Garden of the Montreal Botanical Garden in April 2018.

The Chinese Garden of the Montreal Botanical Garden in April 2018.

Staff Writer

March 2023 in Montreal, like just about every March, subjected us to some unpleasant weather phenomena, not least the sudden snowfall that temporarily coated the city in the third week of the month. Thankfully, April is going to be — wait, I'm getting something in my earpiece. Say that again? It's going to be... just as bad? And really weird? unpredictable and rainy?

Great.

What was March weather like in Montreal?

March weather was actually more or less in line with historical averages. According to Environment Canada, the daily average temperature for the month of March between 1981 and 2010 was -2 C with a standard deviation of 2.1. In March 2023, the average temperature was -0.6 C.

The average daily maximum in that same 29-year period was 2.5 C. The average daily minimum was -6.5 C. This March, those figures were 2.9 C and -4.2 C, respectively.

March 2023 precipitation aligned with historical averages too: 27.2 mm of rain compared to an average of 29.7 mm, and 25.8 mm of snow, about one centimetre short of the 36.2 mm historical average.

What's the Montreal weather forecast for April?

Among the many signs of spring that come to Montreal, a blustery, confusing April is perhaps the least welcome, albeit the most predictable. Even the Old Farmer's Almanac says the month will bring "rain and snow, then sunny; turning mild." That's, like, every weather phenomenon, guys.

But it's accurate to historical data, which shows that April 2022 was pretty chilly, with an average high of 10.1 degrees Celsius and an average low of 1.6 C. Just warm enough for snow flurries to turn into rain showers, but cold enough to require a windproof jacket, which will undoubtedly turn you into a roast on the metro.

At the time of writing, for the first week of April 2023, Environment Canada predicts alternating days of rain and sunshine with high temperatures swinging between 1 and 12 C.

At least it's better than early April 2001, when the first week of the month brought 40+ centimetres of snow, according to historical weather records. This year, we can expect no more than a few flurries during the beginning of the month, but consistent rain as the temperatures slowly approach double-digit positives, according to predictions from the Weather Network.

Like Environment Canada, the site forecasts high temperatures ranging between 1 and 13 C at the beginning of the month. The average temperatures for the last few weeks of April range between 11 and 17 degrees C, which might finally convince small dog owners that their pups' feet don't need shoes anymore.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.


  • Willa Holt
  • Creator

    Willa Holt (they/she) was a Creator for MTL Blog. They have edited for Ricochet Media and The McGill Daily, with leadership experience at the Canadian University Press. They have an undergraduate degree in anthropology with a minor in French translation, and they are the proud owner of a trilingual cat named Ivy.

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