Quebec can brace for a ‘winter of yesteryear’

Quebecers can look forward to a white Christmas, or even a “winter of yesteryear,” according to the forecast from MétéoMédia.

To the delight of skiers and winter sports enthusiasts, The Weather Network is predicting a snowy winter for much of Quebec and Ontario.

“We are forecasting more precipitation than normal, and most of it will be in the form of snow,” said André Monette, chief meteorologist at The Weather Network, in an interview with The Canadian Press.

“Of course, we can never rule out an extraordinary warm spell on Dec. 23, which would cause us to lose snow, but in general, we are fairly confident that we will have a white Christmas,” added the meteorologist.

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Quebec and Ontario

According to the forecast, temperatures will be below normal for the entire winter, which runs from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28 in Ontario and Quebec.

“Cold weather will be particularly noticeable in the first half of winter. Special attention will need to be paid to the trajectories of low-pressure systems, which will bring their share of precipitation, but which could take various forms (snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain) on occasion.”

Two global phenomena will greatly influence the type of winter we will experience, according to Monette.

First, on the oceanic level, La Niña is present, which generally brings cold weather to the Canadian Prairies and more precipitation to Quebec and Ontario.

Second, the polar vortex will also be more present over North America.

The combination of the two will keep much of Canada with below-normal temperatures, said the meteorologist.

The polar vortex “is a whirlpool of cold air that normally remains at the pole, but this year, we think” that certain “weather factors, including probably stratospheric warming,” will cause this vortex to “descend towards our latitudes” in North America.

“This vortex is likely to return frequently, especially in the first half of winter, but it should be less intense in the second half of winter,” which means that temperatures could be closer to normal at the end of the season.

Elsewhere in the country

The Atlantic provinces are expected to experience a milder winter than their western neighbours, as they will be, according to The Weather Network, “away from the major cold air outbreaks.”

“We are forecasting normal temperatures for the Maritime provinces, even above normal as we move eastward to Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Monette.

The western provinces are expected to experience a cold winter, except for British Columbia, where temperatures will be close to normal.

Numerous Arctic air outbreaks are expected from Alberta to Manitoba. “With milder spells, the ski season in the Canadian Rockies looks very promising,” according to The Weather Network.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 26, 2025.