Buckle up, Montreal — the weather over the next few days will be quite the roller-coaster, with rain, freezing rain, mild temperatures, and then yet another major snowstorm by week's end.
On Wednesday morning, a freezing rain warning for Montreal was issued by Environment Canada. That freezing rain is expected to begin right around the supper hour in Montreal, and continue until well after midnight. Before daybreak on Thursday, the rain will taper off to drizzle and the temperature will be on the rise, inching above the freezing mark.
That drizzle is expected to persist through the day on Thursday, with the high reaching 8 degrees above zero. Before the end of the day on Thursday, a low-pressure system will have arrived from Colorado and the Great Lakes, bringing about 15 to 25 millimetres of rain late Thursday into Friday.
While Friday's temperature will be well above normal — the high will be 7 — another low is expected to push up from the U.S. by late Friday, and that system is expected to bring cooler air, and lots of snow.
Montreal could see anywhere from 15 to 25 centimetres of snow during the day on Saturday; points south, including the Townships could see some ice pellets mixing in with the snow, and areas to the north, including the Laurentians, could see 35 centimetres.
Sunshine will return on Sunday, but with a high of only -12.
Meanwhile, the city of Montreal is racing to complete as much of its current snow removal job as it possibly can before that heavy rain gets here. The job began on Monday, and is just about half-done.
City spokesperson Philippe Sabourin says they expect to complete this job by Friday — even though they're aware there's another storm coming which they may have to clean up as well.
"That liquid and the rain must be drained to avoid flooding. That's our main concern right now," Sabourin says. "We have to make sure the sewers will be functional."
Meanwhile, the wild temperature swings can also mean motorists may have to deal with potholes here and there around town. Sabourin assures people there are dedicated crews out and about looking for, and filling, potholes.