Published on October 11, 2024 at 11:52 p.m.
Sometimes the weather spoils the party in October in Quebec.
The best and the worst
Thanksgiving weekend takes place in a time that can give rise to stark contrasts. The festival always occurs on the second Monday in October, between the 8th and the 14th. This is when ephemeral heat surges can occur. However, paradigm shifts always remain a possibility.
“Thanksgiving takes place during a rich and eventful period in terms of weather,” says Réjean Ouimet, meteorologist. Often it’s for the better and sometimes it’s for the worse. These are also the dates of highest frequency of heat surges in the heart of autumn. We can therefore expect to see nice warmth at this time of year.
All in contrasts
In Quebec, Thanksgiving sometimes becomes the scene of extreme temperatures. We have already seen days with a maximum of 25°C and even hotter. Some have also experienced temperatures near freezing. In fact, the weekend occasionally marks a radical change: from heat to cold, or the opposite.
“In 2016, the period from October 8 to 10 marks the end of a heat wave which lasts from the 3rd to the 8th,” says Réjean Ouimet. Saturday takes place under the flood; the maximum is reached during the night: 18°C in Montreal. Subsequently, cool weather sets in with frosts in several areas. We even see snowflakes in Abitibi. »
The worst
At times, Quebec experiences the worst of October during Thanksgiving weekend. This year, models indicate that this scenario is likely to occur. After the heat sequence that the province has experienced for more than a week, a turnaround in the situation should occur. Cool and gloomy weather is on the radar. But La Belle Province has seen others.
“In 2001, the first snowflakes fell in Montreal,” continues Réjean Ouimet. Accidents and road exits are reported. The weather is gloomy and very cool. We only have 10°C with rain on Saturday and snowflakes on Sunday. It falls 5 cm in the Laurentians as well as in Granby. »
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