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An “enormous heat dome” will settle in over Quebec this week, with air moisture that will push the humidex past 40 degrees in the afternoons from Tuesday to Thursday and nights that will offer little in the way of relief.
“It’s a hot air mass, a tropical mass, that is coming in from the American midwest and will penetrate all sectors on the eastern part of the continent,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Jean-Philippe Bégin.
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Much of Quebec will be swept by the heat wave, as will Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the northeastern United States. The temperature increase will be felt on Monday in some sectors and on Tuesday in the rest.
In Quebec, heat warnings are in effect for Montreal, Quebec City, Outaouais, Abitibi, the Laurentians, Lanaudière, Montérégie, the Eastern Townships and the Centre-du-Québec.
The affected sectors will see their afternoon humidex readings break 40 degrees between Tuesday and Thursday while the daily maximum will vary from 30 to 35 C. The evenings will remain hot, with minimum overnight temperatures of 20 degrees.
Bégin said that even if it unusual to have a heat wave at this time of year, the humidity is the main factor in the weather expected this week.
“When it is more humid, the night’s are more hot, when the nights are more hot, there is no relief,” he said.
Warmer temperatures could represent a health risk as the week progresses to the more vulnerable, such as the very young or elderly.
Bégin notes that a heat wave broke over Quebec at the same time in 2020. It lasted longer, but was less humid. This time, the heat wave will reach its height in the middle of the week with far more humidity and cooler temperatures expected only on Friday.
“We need to take it seriously,” said Bégin.
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