The snow never melted so quickly, and it never ended

Dry winter

It's no longer a secret: there was little snow in the winter of 2023-2024. Models indicate that Quebec will have little chance of snow in the coming weeks, at least for populated areas. On this last day of the meteorological winter, the snow cover will be relatively thin in many areas, especially in Quebec. This situation is particularly exceptional as we observe an average of 64 centimeters of snow on the ground at this time.

Accelerated melting

Weather The beginning of the first month of spring is marked by mildness. The cold snap experienced by Quebec will actually be short-lived, as the mercury will continue to rise for several days as mild winds blow in from the southern United States. For Quebec, a maximum range of 5°C is expected during this sequence, with the risk of reducing snow cover to zero.

Exceptional location

If the snow-covered conditions in Quebec on the last day of February were exceptional, it was not a record. In fact, the years 1981 and 1996 were memorable in this regard, but snow cover increased again during these springs in March. This year, the scenario looks very different as milder weather will dominate, closing the door to fresh snowfall.

A gap of one month

The fastest melting for Quebec occurred in 2010. By March 13 the snow had completely disappeared, while the grassland only came to light on an average of April 13. According to the current forecast it could happen earlier this year.

In collaboration with meteorologist Patrick Duplessis.

See also: Avoiding frozen doors during sudden cold weather