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A yellow snowfall warning has been issued for Montreal, and the roads are dicey.
According to MeteoMedia, motorists are being urged to exercise extreme caution on Thursday as a complex low-pressure system wreaks havoc on road conditions—particularly across Greater Montreal and central Quebec.
Snowfall totals could reach up to 25 cm in some areas, with most regions seeing up to 20 cm.
The heavy snow will be compounded by a sharp drop in temperatures that is creating icy surfaces and snow-covered roads.
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As temperatures plunged overnight, the system sweeping across Quebec transformed Wednesday’s rain into heavy snow by Thursday morning.
Sustained snowfall is hitting Greater Montreal, the Outaouais, Centre-du-Québec, and Beauce all at once—and the evening commute is expected to be just as challenging.
The intensity of the snow, paired with wind gusts reaching up to 40 km/h—and potentially 50 km/h in the Laurentians—could lead to blowing snow and significantly reduced visibility.
Environment Canada also warns that snow will be heavy at times, a combination likely to cause major disruptions across the road network.
Another dangerous factor is the rapidly changing nature of the precipitation.
Overnight, rain gradually turned to wet snow and slush, which then froze quickly as temperatures dropped to –4 to –5°C in Montreal by morning.
Untreated surfaces may be treacherous sheets of ice concealed beneath fresh snow—a reality already reported by some drivers.
Snow is expected to continue throughout the day and into Friday morning, particularly in eastern parts of the province.
Higher accumulations—up to 25 cm—are possible in mountainous regions such as the Laurentians, the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, and parts of the Côte-Nord.
Anyone who must be on the road Thursday is advised to allow extra travel time and adjust driving behaviour accordingly.
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