A weather system expected to scoot up the U.S. Eastern Seaboard this weekend could bring strong winds and heavy rain to southern Quebec by Sunday.
The weather office says that system could begin affecting the Montreal area late Sunday and linger on well into Monday.
"It's a rapidly intensifying storm forecast to move almost straight north," says Environment Canada meteorologist Alexandre Parent. "It's forecast to pick up a lot of moisture from the tropics and as it move north along the east coast of the U.S., and with the rapid intensification, there are some strong winds associated with that system."
Parent points out the storm's track may change in the coming days, but if the current forecast holds, the system will bring torrential rains to the city — as much as 50 millimetres for the Montreal area, and more than that east and north of the city.
All of that will be accompanied by winds reaching 70 kilometres an hour — the worst of which could wind up reaching Montreal on Sunday night into Monday afternoon.
Parent adds this is more of a typical autumn storm than an apocalyptic one — it's what happens when warm air from the Caribbean meets up with Arctic air from the north, which often happens at this time of year. What may make this system slightly more intense than usual is that it will be travelling over warmer than normal water along its path — right into the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
He also suggests while there are still plenty of leaves on trees now, there might not be by the time the storm is over — which could leave drains clogged, bringing an increased risk of flooding in some areas.
"In the Montreal area, there are still trees with a fair amount of leaves," he says. "I'm sure on Tuesday morning there won't be a lot of leaves remaining...that could have some potential consequences."
Parent says the conditions could also be strong enough to bring down tree branches and power lines.