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Many schools are closed today in anticipation of the storm. Here’s a full list. More than 150 flights cancelled at Montreal’s Trudeau airport.Quebecers urged to limit non-essential travel.
Quebec is bracing for a freezing rain storm today that has already prompted widespread school closures and could lead to difficult road conditions and power outages.
Environment Canada issued an “orange alert” for a wide swath of southern Quebec, with freezing rain amounts up to 30 millimetres.
During a technical briefing on Tuesday, the agency stated that the freezing rain was expected to begin as early as 6 a.m., but that wasn’t the case.
On Wednesday, Simon Legault, a metereologist with the weather agency, told CBC Montreal’s Daybreak shortly before 8 a.m. that freezing rain is slowly starting in some parts of Quebec, including in Montreal.
While there will be pauses in the storm and there is not yet significant ice buildup, Legault said that will change during the day. Strong winds up to 60 kilometres per hour are also expected, he said.
“With the ice buildup and that kind of wind, that will probably cause most of the impact,” he said.
Montreal, the Laurentians and Quebec City are all among the areas expected to get significant freezing rain.
Legault said there could be less accumulation further south, on Montreal’s South Shore and around the Eastern Townships, where temperatures could climb above the freezing mark.
Already, more than 150 flights were cancelled at Montreal’s Trudeau airport in anticipation of the poor conditions.
Environment Canada advised against non-essential travel, and officials with the City of Montreal and the provincial government urged people to stay home if possible.
The weather agency said in its alert that prolonged utility outages are likely.
The freezing rain storm is expected to be followed by cold weather, which “may complicate and delay the full return to normal services,” according to its statement.
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What to expect in Montreal
The City of Montreal began spreading salt on streets and sidewalks overnight, ahead of the storm.
Montreal’s public transit agency, the STM, said transit users can expect to face delays on its bus lines.
“Bus drivers will be exercising extra caution,” spokesperson Kevin Bilodeau said Tuesday.
“Service status will be updated in real time as the situation develops on the roads.”
A spokesperson for the REM light-rail network also said it would be monitoring the evolving situation. As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, train service was normal on the network.
Quebec City and beyond
In Quebec City, Mayor Bruno Marchand also called on residents to work from home if possible.
Quebec Transport Ministry spokesperson Sarah Bensadoun said crews were prepared to clear roads across the province.
Bensadoun said the range of precipitation across the province was a complicating factor.
Further east in Quebec, including in the Gaspé, Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles regions, Environment Canada issued a winter storm warning. Up to 40 centimetres of snow is expected in the next 24 hours.