Snowstorm Orlena: after New York, Quebec affected

Through king crepentmeteorologist
Posted 02/02/21, updated 02/02/21 at 6:16 p.m.-
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On Groundhog Day, New York City suffered a heavy snowstorm, one of the 10 largest in its modern history. Between now and Wednesday evening, Quebec is in turn suffering from this coastal depression which will end up evacuating at the end of the week, but the extreme cold could invade North America this weekend.

So far, the winter has been remarkably mild in North America as well as Quebec, while it has been colder in northwestern Canada and Alaska. In December, however, a first winter storm hit New York City a few days before Christmas. But this first snowfall, abundant (with 25 cm of snow in Central Park and more than a meter of powder further north, in Vermont), quickly melted.

A major but not historic snowstorm

In New York, Storm Orlena was possibly feared as being major. It was indeed notable, and will figure among the 8 or 10 strongest since the beginning of the 20th century. But the accumulations of snow remain far from the records of thickness in the city of New York, where it was noted up to 38 cm at La Guardia airport and 33 cm at Central Park. In the Bronx, up to 48 cm of snow was recorded. The records for snow depths in New York are 68 cm in Central Park in 2007, and 67 cm in 1947.

But in the surrounding hills, thicknesses often reached 60 cm, with snowdrifts, which paralyzed road and air traffic. Up to 76 cm of snow was recorded in Mendham, in the hills of New Jersey, about 40 km west of New York (this is a recordThese winter conditions may have frightened the American mascot, the groundhog, who is supposed to point his muzzle out on February 2 before deciding whether or not to return to his burrow.

Quebec affected in turn

From now on, and for the day of Wednesday, February 3, the low pressure heart goes up towards the northeast, with a winding wind and snowfall all around. This is typically called a coastal depression, or a northeaster, that is to say a winter storm going up along the east coast, to the Maritime provinces of Quebec. Thus, Quebec and Montreal remain on the sidelines of this blizzard, but the Gaspé will be exposed to “blowing snow”, that is to say the blizzard of fine snow pushed by gusts of wind to more than 80 km / h which greatly reduce the speed. visibility.

Then, towards a cold snap?

If, so far, temperatures have remained abnormally mild in North America, the situation is expected to change for this month of February, expected to be harsh. A first major cold offensive is expected to occur this weekend, with polar air coming straight from Canada. This cold wave will plunge towards Chicago and the Great Lakes, but will also be propelled to New York, where temperatures can drop to -11 ° C. This will not be a record for the “Big Apple”, these being -26 ° C at La Guardia in 1923 and -18.3 ° C in Central Park on February 14, 2016.