Heavy rain and sleet

Marie-Pier Gagné / JdeM

QMI agency

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 05:48

UPDATE
Tuesday, February 20, 2018 05:48

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MONTREAL – A low pressure system from the south-west of the United States leads in Quebec, a taste of spring. The program for the next few days: thaw, heavy rains and freezing for the southern part of the province.

According to Environment Canada, the mercury could reach 10 degrees on Wednesday in the southern regions of the province, such as the greater Montreal region, Lanaudière, Montérégie, Centre-du-Québec, Capitale-Nationale, Chaudière-Appalaches, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. In the Outaouais and the eastern Townships, the thermometer may even reach these values as early as Tuesday.

The rain, falling since Monday evening, is expected to continue until Wednesday, with amounts ranging between 20 and 30 millimeters for most sectors. The rain added to the runoff due to the melting of the snow cover, could lead to flooding in places. Several rivers are under surveillance. This is the case of rivers Châteauguay, l’acadie and Richelieu, in the Montérégie region, which are particularly monitored by the authorities.

The freezing rain

Warnings of freezing rain have been issued for the regions in the centre and west of Quebec, the regions of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches. Some areas could receive up to 15 millimetres of freezing rain.

The depression will have an impact on the Quebec and Ontario until Wednesday.

Quebecers need to be vigilant because the soil could be icy and extremely slippery.