Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Montreal, Laval, and Vaudreuil. The agency warns of the risk of a microburst, with conditions potentially bringing nickel-sized hail, strong wind gusts, and heavy rain starting Saturday morning. By Saturday afternoon, ECCC reported that 16 millimetres of rain had already fallen, with another 15 millimetres expected by the end of the day. David Phillips, a climatologist with the agency, said this type of weather is normal at this time of year. “It’s a typical kind of long weekend in May where you’ve got summer wanting to get a foothold and winter still wanting to hang on,” he said. The agency noted that there is also a risk of a tornado. “Water activities could be hazardous due to sudden, violent wind gusts on water bodies. Local utility outages are possible. Damage to roofs, fences, branches, or soft shelters is possible,” the alert reads. Environment Canada advises residents to stay indoors, noting that lightning kills and injures people every year. If outside, the agency recommends taking cover to protect yourself from flying debris and hail. “The forecast outlook for the summer period — June, July, August — is saying overall it’s going to be warmer than normal,” Phillips added. With files from Swidda Rassy
