Environment Canada issued smog warnings Sunday morning for an area stretching along the St. Lawrence, from south of Montreal to Trois-Rivières.
Posted at 11:32 a.m.
“During the holidays, people move around a lot [en voiture] and make fireplaces, which provides conditions conducive to the formation of smog,” explains Amélie Bertrand, meteorologist at Environment Canada.
This smog, favored by a stagnant air mass which has lasted for several days, causes poor air quality in several cities.
In Montreal in particular, the air quality index on Sunday morning was 7 out of 10, which represents a “high risk” for health – particularly for vulnerable people.
It is recommended to reduce or reorganize outdoor activities if one experiences symptoms such as cough and throat irritation; and to pay particular attention to children and the elderly, as well as people with asthma or those with respiratory or heart diseases.
In addition to this smog, thick fog also settled in the south of the province, from Outaouais to Quebec City.
“Visibility is very low, or even zero, in places,” warns the meteorologist. She therefore recommends avoiding traveling by car if possible, until visibility is better.
“These conditions are expected to persist throughout the day and overnight, but are expected to dissipate by Monday morning,” she adds.
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