A weather bomb will be felt as far as Quebec

A nourishing contrast

It is a coastal depression, also known as the “Nor’easter” which will hit the east of the country this weekend. There is talk of a strong area of ​​low pressure along the east coast of the United States, generally accompanied by northeast winds from the Atlantic Ocean. The contrast between cold air over the continent and milder air over the Atlantic provides the instability and energy necessary for this type of storm to develop and fuel.

Up to 40 cm of snow

The context should cause a classic weather bomb, i.e. an explosively developing depression, with a drop in atmospheric pressure of at least 24 hectopascals in 24 hours. The result will be heavy amounts of snow along the Atlantic coast between Saturday and Monday. We are talking about 30 to 40 cm in Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island, and 20 to 30 cm in the southwest sector of Newfoundland, near Channel-Port-aux-Basques. In Quebec, it is especially the Îles-de-la-Madeleine which will suffer the consequences of this system. We expect between 15 and 20 cm of snow. Gaspésie could also receive between 10 and 20 cm of snow, in the mountainous areas of Gaspésie National Park. Closer to Chaleur Bay, between 5 and 10 cm of snow are forecast.

More than 100 km/h

It is especially the winds which could cause problems in several sectors. Madelinots are used to winds that would cause Montreal pedestrians to deviate from their path, but even for them, gusts of more than 100 km/h require a certain respect. These are the kind of gusts that could occur late Sunday afternoon. In Gaspésie, it will be a little more modest, but still close to 65 km/h. The Lower North Shore, between Chevery and Blanc-Sablon, could see winds blow at more than 80 km/h.

The cold protects us

The rest of Quebec will be protected by a depression in the north of the province which will push back the coastal system, and contain it to sectors to the east. No snow or monstrous gusts, but minimums which will approach -20° in certain regions.

With the collaboration of Maxine Coutier-Gervais, meteorologist.

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