‘It’s all coming to an end’: Snow on way for Sunday

Enjoy this weekend, because it could be the last one with unseasonably warm temperatures and green grass.

“It’s all coming to an end,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Robert Michaud, who is one of the people happy about the return to seasonal norms. “I’m kind of glad; it’s going to be a bit of a relief, especially for allergy sufferers like me. It has been as bad as the middle of September, because it hasn’t gone below freezing, so everything is still growing.”

Michaud said Saturday will likely be the last day this month with temperatures significantly warmer than normal — a high of 14 Celsius is forecast under sunny skies. Then, snow will be the weather maker for Sunday outside the Montreal region. Abitibi, Vald’Or, the Laurentians, Quebec City, and the Eastern Townships could all see significant accumulation over the course of the day. While it was too soon to say with certainty on Friday, the Abitibi region could see as much as 10 centimetres of accumulation, he said.

As for Montreal, Sunday will be rainy for most of the day, but a low-pressure system will cause temperatures to plummet and the rain will change to snow at night.

Monday morning should be marked by a “blanket of snow,” Michaud said, but it won’t be around for long. Just long enough to wreak havoc with the morning commute.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Friday morning, saying driving conditions may be difficult in parts of the province, especially for those without winter tires. In Montreal, it could make for a messy commute to work on Monday, with some snow and lots of slush expected on the roads.

“Monday morning will be a difficult rush hour,” Michaud said. “The temperature will be around zero or plus-one, so it’s hard to say how much snow will actually fall.”

The Weather Network is predicting about five centimetres of snow for the Montreal region on Monday. As for people who have not yet installed their winter tires, Michaud recommends staying in the city. “You should be fine here, because it’s going to be melting” he said. “If you decide to go to the St-Jovite area, and anywhere with mountains, it’s a good idea (to have winter tires).”