Regions on alert: the white carpet at Christmas will be decided at the last minute

It will play out in the last days for some

As of this writing, models are optimistic for many large areas of Canada about the likelihood of seeing the ground covered in snow by Christmas. The Canadian Prairies are among the luckiest regions: in places, the chances of a white Christmas are more than encouraging, particularly in Edmonton and Winnipeg.

As for Calgary, Halifax and Toronto, everything will be decided in the final days: these regions only have about a one in two chance of seeing a white carpet on December 25. In Vancouver, the odds of observing a white Christmas this year are only 10%. However, given the influence of the Pacific Ocean, this is common: the metropolis has experienced a green Christmas every winter since 2009, with the exception of 2021.

And Quebec in all this

You guessed it, a mass of cold air has just taken hold of Quebec: the minimums expected overnight from Saturday to Sunday will be well below seasonal norms from one end of the province to the other. In Montreal, the mercury is expected to drop to -18°C and reach a maximum of -12°C on Sunday. This cold weather pattern will last through the end of the week, allowing snow to remain on the ground before the next rise in temperatures.

Unsurprisingly, a white Christmas is guaranteed for the northernmost regions, including Abitibi, Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie and Côte-Nord. As for other regions, the chances of having a white Christmas bode well, particularly for the Outaouais and the Capitale-Nationale region.

However, everything is not decided for the metropolitan region and that of Estrie: the color of the carpet will be decided at the last minute. However, the arrival on Monday of a system via the southwest gates would lend a helping hand. This clipper from Alberta could deposit up to 5 cm on Montreal and Estrie. He would thus become the great savior of Christmas.

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