As Montrealers shuffle up stairs Wednesday to haul furniture, boxes and fridges into their new homes, the temperature will also be climbing.
Environment Canada has issued a yellow heat warning for the Montreal area, predicting a high of 33 C and a humidex high of 45.
“It’s certainly not a good day to move and make physical effort,” Environment Canada meteorologist Marianne Pelletier said, “but I understand that when everything is booked, you don’t have the choice.”
July 1, when many leases begin, marks Quebec’s traditional Moving Day, which this year is likely to be a sweaty — and potentially dangerous — endeavour.
Heat exhaustion is possible amid soaring temperatures, Environment and Climate Change Canada warns. Headaches, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine and intense fatigue are possible symptoms.
Heat stroke, which manifests in red and hot skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion and change of consciousness, requires medical intervention, the weather agency says. In such situations, Environment Canada advises calling 911 or an emergency health provider.
If moving Wednesday, “taking breaks, drinking a lot of water, staying as much as possible in the shade, in air-conditioned spaces is certainly recommended,” Pelletier said.
A forecast storm Wednesday evening should provide some relief from the heat, Pelletier said, but will likely come after temperatures have peaked.
The heat wave is expected to last until Saturday morning, she said.
The heat warning is in place till Saturday.
This report will be updated.
I’ve reported for The Gazette since 2024. I love covering a good politics story, but any day I tell Montrealers something new about the world around them feels like a good one. Got a tip for me? Email me at jawilson@postmedia.com
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