Quebec is experiencing severe weather conditions due to a strong cold front. Strong winds are leaving more than 70,000 Hydro-Québec customers without power. The outages began early Tuesday morning and have been escalating quickly.
Regions Affected by Power Outages
Major regions impacted include:
- Laurentians
- Lanaudière
- Montérégie
- Chaudière-Appalaches
- Estrie
- Montreal
– Over 10,000 outages reported.
– More than 10,000 customers without power.
– Also experienced over 10,000 outages.
– 5,000 to 10,000 homes affected.
– Between 5,000 and 10,000 customers reported outages.
– Significant outages, ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 homes.
Additional outages have also been detected in regions like Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Bas-Saint-Laurent, and Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, among others.
Weather Conditions
A weather system moved into the province on Monday evening. It continued to move northeast, affecting conditions overnight. While rain and snow were anticipated, the most significant issue has been the strong winds.
Wind and Temperature Warnings
Environment Canada has issued a “yellow” wind warning for several areas, including:
- Eastern Townships
- Quebec City region
- Lower St. Lawrence
- North Shore
This warning indicates wind gusts may reach up to 90 kilometers per hour. Other regions, such as Abitibi-Témiscamingue, face a “yellow” winter storm warning. An additional snowfall of 5 to 10 centimeters is expected by midday.
Temperature Forecast
Alongside the severe winds, temperatures in Montreal are predicted to drop significantly. After reaching 14 degrees Celsius on Monday evening, forecasts suggest a decrease to minus-8 degrees Celsius by Tuesday. With wind chill, it may feel as cold as minus-16 degrees Celsius.
Residents are encouraged to stay informed and prepared for potential further outages and hazardous weather conditions as this weather system continues to affect the province.
