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UPDATE Friday, January 9, 2026: A Montreal wind warning has been issued by Environment Canada as southwesterly winds will reach up to 90 km per hour late this evening and then gusting to 50 km an hour overnight. The weather alert goes on to warn Montrealers to secure loose objects, especially outdoor items.
It’s official: A massive weather system will affect Quebec starting on Friday.
After last week’s ice and an overnight snowstorm, a system stretching from southern Texas all the way to Nunavik is on its way.
According to a report from MeteoMedia, up to 20 mm of rain will be hitting Quebec, with a possible mix of precipitation by Saturday evening.
Fortunately for Quebec, the southeastern United States will bear the brunt of the impact — you would have to drive for three days without stopping to cover the full length of the system set to impact North America starting Friday.
Between Friday morning and Saturday evening, forecast rainfall totals for Quebec include up to 10 mm in the Montreal area, Outaouais, Estrie, Beauce, and Bas-Saint-Laurent.
Up to 15 mm of rain is expected in the Laurentians, Saguenay, and the Capitale-Nationale; and up to 20 mm in Abitibi.
Snow is expected farther north, and freezing rain is not out of the question in southern parts of the province.
This rainfall will melt a significant portion of the snowpack in several regions.
In the Montreal area, the snow cover could disappear entirely, and if a thin layer remains it would be wise to clear stairs and driveways thoroughly as temperatures are expected to plummet next week (and could create a hard-to-remove ice crust).
What was the worst storm in Montreal?
The Eastern Canadian Blizzard of March 1971 was a powerful winter storm that hit parts of eastern Canada from March 3 to 5, 1971.
In Quebec, it was famously dubbed the “Storm of the Century.”
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