Strong winds began affecting the Montreal region last night and Friday gusts are expected to intensify, reaching up to 90 km/h in the city and nearby areas before moving east this afternoon.
As of 1:30 p.m., there were over 81,400 Hydro customers without power. That number was down to about 42,500 by 4 :15 p.m.
The hardest hit areas being the Montérégie, followed by the Eastern Townships. Montreal was at 8,500 early in the day and by late afternoon about 1,800 were still off the grid.
A second wave of strong winds will arrive from the west tonight and continue overnight.
Hydro-Québec told CityNews in a statement that, “These gusts could damage trees and power lines, leading to outages. […] Crews are mobilized, with nearly 250 teams and over 500 line workers deployed.”
On Saturday, winds are forecasted to weaken to around 70 km/h in southern Quebec, but regions like the Laurentians, Mauricie, and Capitale-Nationale may also see strong gusts.
Conditions are expected to improve by Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
Authorities are urging residents to secure loose objects, avoid downed trees, and stay clear of power lines.
Customers can check updates via Info-Pannes or the Hydro-Québec app.