Quebec faces holiday weekend washout, localized flood risk
Rainfall warnings are in effect across Quebec as two systems combine to produce heavy rain and a risk for localized flooding over the Thanksgiving weekend
Quebec is in the midst of a one-two punch of rainy storms that will drench the province through much of the long holiday weekend.
Our first system arriving from the west brought plenty of rain to the province on Friday. Precipitation will continue into Saturday before picking up again overnight into Sunday as the remnants of Tropical Storm Philippe push into the region.
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Widespread rainfall warnings are in effect as totals could exceed 100 mm in some of the hardest-hit areas through Monday.
"Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible," says Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in the warning. "Watch for possible washouts near rivers, creeks and culverts."
Heavy rain continues into Saturday
Timing: Through Saturday
Weather: The first system is a potent fall storm that arrived on Friday, sweeping bouts of heavy rain across Quebec through the day.
Rain across Quebec will grow steadier into the overnight hours and early Saturday morning. This storm won’t be in any hurry to move along once it reaches the province.
We'll see the low-pressure system mosey over central Quebec through the day Saturday, leading to a raw, rain-soaked day for most communities as the system sits over Montreal and Trois Rivieres. Due to the lack of system movement, there is a growing risk for localized flooding in urban areas if the rainfall sits on top of the same region as some computer models suggest.
Saturday will be the wettest day of the weekend.
An ex-tropical storm arrives by Sunday
Timing: Sunday
Weather: We’re watching the progress of what’s now post-tropical storm Philippe as the remnants of this former tropical storm steadily head toward Eastern Canada this weekend.
This slug of tropical moisture arriving from the south will absorb into the storm already over Quebec, rejuvenating the risk for heavy rains across the region.
Forecasters expect heavy rainfall to spread over Trois Rivieres and Quebec City overnight Saturday and continue into the day Sunday. Rain will spread over the Gaspé Peninsula on Sunday, accompanied by winds of 60-80 km/h as the tropical remnants swing through.
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Precipitation will finally ease during the overnight hours Sunday, but some unsettled conditions will linger into Monday while leaving colder air in its wake.
All told, widespread rainfall totals of 60-80+ mm are expected for most of the region. Some communities could face a localized flood risk as a result of the heavy rain.
Given the risk for localized flooding, monitor conditions and alerts through the weekend if you plan to drive during the storm. Avoid driving across water-covered roadways. It’s impossible to tell how deep the water is until it’s too late, and the roadway itself sometimes crumbles beneath the floodwaters.
Stay with The Weather Network all weekend for the latest on conditions across Quebec.
