Environment & Economy By Rachel Lau and Brayden Haines 1391 Views

Blast of winter weather hits Montreal

About one to three millimetres of freezing rain hit the Greater Montreal area early Friday morning.

Environment Canada issued the warning Thursday due to an imminent low-pressure system, but it was lifted Friday afternoon.

The system started as snow before changing to freezing rain early Friday morning, as it moves over western and central Quebec.

The freezing rain was expected to last about two hours.

Regions North of the Saint Lawrence river are expected to receive mixed precipitation until the late evening according to Environment Canada Meteorologist Marie-Ève Gigure.

“The freezing rain will change to rain as temperatures rise above the freezing mark,” the organization notes.

“Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.”

A total of 250 salt trucks on were deployed by the Transports Québec to deice the roads and mitigate danger.

Transports Québec spokesperson Martin Girard asks to slow down during bad weather and invites drivers to adapt their driving habits.

“If possible delay your trip and keep a safe distance between cars,” Girard said.

The worst of the weather woes may be behind us but Gigure warns that temperatures will be dropping over the weekend causing icy and slippery conditions.

This is the second freezing rain warning to be issued by Environment Canada this December, Gigure says it is not because its been warmer.

“The temperatures have been flip flopping a lot and that is what its going to do for the next few days,” Gigure said.

Freezing rain warnings are issued when rain falling in sub-zero temperatures creates ice build-up and icy surfaces.

Environment Canada’s a new mixed weather system is likely to hit the Greater Montreal region in the coming days.

Gigure says it is too early to tell what will come of the new system but they expect it to hit Montreal on New Year’s-eve.