Up to 30+ cm snow and heavy rain to end March and kick off April in Quebec
March's last "roar" will see heavy rain and snow push across Quebec, as another far-reaching and moisture filled system is set to pack quite the punch.
As is typical with Colorado lows, they drag abundant moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, and funnel it right into the region. With some cooler air to work with ahead of and behind this system, there will be transitions from snow to rain, and then back to snow again through Saturday.
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The precipitation will work its way into the province well before the actual low passes over southern Quebec on Saturday afternoon.
The snow will begin filling in across western and southern Quebec ahead of the warm front Friday afternoon, and spread north and eastward through the evening. By this time the leading edge of the snow is near the mouth of the St. Lawrence, continuing toward the Gaspé Region.
By the overnight hours on Friday, the snow begins to transition to rain, at times heavy across southern Quebec. There could be a brief band of freezing rain overnight into early Saturday morning along this boundary as the transition occurs.
The transition zone, and rain/snow boundary, will push eastward through Saturday morning, with rain spreading from the upper Ottawa Valley, across to Quebec City and southward.
There is even the risk of an isolated thunderstorm Saturday morning, bringing gusty winds and occasional downpours.
Rainfall continues through Saturday afternoon, while the snow gradually tapers across western Quebec. Through Saturday evening, the rain will briefly change back to snow as cooler temperatures wrap in, before ending by Saturday night.
Precipitation will remain primarily as snow north of the transition zone, and with heavy accumulations at that, so travel conditions could be difficult at times. South of the transition zone will see mostly rain.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued several snowfall warnings extending from the Témiscaming area up to Sept-Îles.
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By the time all is said and done, parts of western Quebec could see between 20-30 cm of snow. Just north of the St. Lawrence 5-15 cm is expected, with Montreal, Sherbrooke, and the Eastern Townships likely to see less than 5 cm of snow.
Most areas can expect a widespread 5-15 mm of rain, but with pockets of 15-25 mm around Montreal and Gatineau.
An active pattern is expected to continue through the first week of April, as a couple significant systems track across the region
Be sure to check back for the latest weather updates across Quebec.
