Montreal and surrounding regions woke up to freezing rain on Thursday morning. Although no major incident was reported on the streets, several schools have decided to close their doors.
Published at 7:09 am. Updated at 8:14 a.m
The freezing drizzle that began Wednesday evening continued until just before 8 a.m. Thursday. The sky is then expected to be cloudy for the rest of the day and temperatures will remain below freezing.
“It might melt or soften a little, but [la température] will remain at most around 0.5°C. But the winds will be fresh and the sun won't really be visible,” said Simon Legault, a meteorologist with Environment Canada.
A freezing rain warning was issued for several areas early Wednesday afternoon, including Gatineau, Lachute – Saint-Jérôme, Lanaudière, Montreal, Richelieu Valley – Saint-Hyacinthe and Vaudreuil – Soulanges – Huntingdon. 5 to 10 millimeters of rain was expected in the south of the province.
Several school service centers announced the closure of their facilities on Thursday due to difficult weather conditions (see box). Private schools and universities in Montérégie are also closed.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFACON, THE PRESS
Such conditions also make morning rush hour traffic difficult. Caution is therefore advised when traveling. Fortunately, no major incidents were reported on the roads Thursday morning.
The Urgences santé site received several calls about falls on icy sidewalks. But again, no major injuries were reported.
Another episode of freezing rain is also expected on Friday, with Environment Canada forecasting another 5 to 10 millimeters. The difference is that this time the rain will start falling in the morning rather than at night. Therefore, the rush hour on the way back rather than the morning rush hour is likely to be quite complex.
“Of course, how the streets and sidewalks are maintained is always taken into account. But for people who go to the cottage at the end of the week it could be more complicated,” warns Mr Legault.
With Léa Carrier, La Presse
Schools closed
The following School Service Centers (CSS) have announced the closure of their facilities due to weather.
- CSS Riverside
- CSS Marie-Victorin
- CSS of the Hautes-Rivières
- Saint Hyacinthe CSS
- Patriots CSS
- CSS of the Grandes Seigneuries
- CSS de la Vallée-des-Tisserands