Montreal yet to see a daytime high below freezing this season, what's happening?
This year has not seen a typical November temperature story in Montreal
As we get ready to say goodbye to the month of November, Montreal is still waiting to see a daytime high below freezing, a first on record for the city this late in the season.
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When October ended, snow had fallen before the first frost occurred, another record dating back more than 70 years.
That's not to say the month hasn't been chilly, either. Temperatures have dropped below the freezing mark in Montreal this November, but they haven't been able to stay below 0°C for a 24-hour period. That means there hasn't been a high temperature below freezing for the month.
This has happened a few times before, but in a year where the month as a whole is typically above normal. This year, according to the forecasts, the average temperature for November actually came in below normal -- 0.4°C below normal to be exact.
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Since 2000, there have been three other November's without freezing temperatures. However, in 2001, 2006 and 2009, average temperatures were reported above normal. This would therefore be an unprecedented situation for Montreal this year.
"There weren't really any extremes for the month, temperatures weren't very warm, and they also weren't very cold," explains Matt Grinter, a meteorologist at The Weather Network. "They kind of just stuck around, or slightly, below normal.
Will temperatures drop as we head into December?
Friday marks the first day of December, and temperatures are expected to hover around the 0°C mark over the weekend. Next week, colder air is expected to filter in, finally bringing Montreal's first high temperatures below 0°C.
This means that the latest dates for freezing temperatures on December 15, 2001 and 1953 probably won't be beaten.
With files from MétéoMédia's Francis Briere, Editor, and Maxine Cloutier-Gervais, meteorologist.
Thumbnail image courtesy: Sebastien Cordat - Unsplash