people eating and drinking on a terrasse

Environment Canada says that in the next few weeks, the weather will get cooler again

Just a week ago, it was hard for Montrealers to imagine doing yoga in the park or drinking seltzer on aterrasse. As the worst ice storm in 25 years hit Quebec and cut power to millions, they bundled up in parkas. But on Wednesday, the sun was out and the temperature reached a record high of 27 C.

Xavier Baghdadi took the chance to bring his guitar to the park and finger pick on it.

He said, “It’s great to have trees, parks, and a little peace and quiet because it’s beautiful outside.”

“I think the best thing to do is just walk around Montreal, which is like a big playground.”

Erika De Lisle kept an eye on the weather all week and already had her dress picked out for when she went out for drinks.terrasseWith her friends after her presentation at college. A week ago, she couldn’t do anything.

She said, “The weather is great, it’s really hot, and we’re having a great time.”

“It’s been a week! So the change is really big, and it’s scary to know it’s because of climate change, but I really like the warmer weather.”

an uprooted tree at Parc Lafontaineuprooted tree at parc lafontaine

David Phillips, a senior climatologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada, said it was “beyond words” that the record temperatures came just a week after a flood of freezing rain.

“I’ve been in business for 50 years, and I’ve never seen a time in April that was so loud, crowded, and chaotic. “That just goes to show how mean April can be,” he said.

“Today’s temperatures are about what you’d expect on July 1.” This really shows how crazy nature is.”

fallen tree branches in a parka wide shot of lafontaine park

The warm air is coming from the United States and blowing through Canada. This is thawing the ground and melting the ice on rivers.

Phillips said that we can’t expect the warm weather to last after this week.

He says that the warm weather this week is a “dress rehearsal” and “preview” of summer, but in a few days, the temperature will drop again.

fallen tree branches in a parking lotpeople enjoying food and drinks on a terrasse

Phillips says that by next week, the weather in Montreal will be more like what you’d expect for that time of year. That means high temperatures of about 11 C and low temperatures close to freezing.

After April 13, Montreal has had five days of frost and three days of snow in the last three years.

Phillips said, “Winter’s last hurrah might happen over one or two days, but those are short days. It might snow or rain, but it won’t be that cold again.”

But the ice storm is still having an effect because tree branches are still lying around in parks and streets.

broken tree branches at parc lafontaine's parking lotthe parking lot at parc lafontaine

Phillips said, “People in Montreal are still feeling the effects of that ice storm, so they can’t really all enjoy the warm weather.”

“You won’t take out your golf clubs if you don’t have power or if you’re still cleaning up after that ice storm.”