Montreal had the hottest day in its history on Wednesday in May, with mercury rising to 36.6 degrees Celsius, according to the Meteorological Service of Canada. Wednesday's maximum was the second highest recorded in the Quebec metropolis, approaching the absolute record of 37.6 degrees (August 1, 1975).
"Yesterday was an extremely intense day, it was a record day in many places in Quebec," said Simon Legault, meteorologist at Environment Canada. The previous record for a month of May in Montreal (34.7) was recorded on May 26, 2010.
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"We are still in May, this is what is special about this heat wave: it is powerful," added the meteorologist about the heat wave plaguing Quebec and Ontario since the beginning of the week.
The phenomenon is all the more striking since Montrealers saw snowflakes fall less than three weeks ago.
In Ontario, the capital Ottawa broke a record for May 27, with 35 degrees. This heat wave is explained by the upward movement of humid air to the north from the Gulf of Mexico region in the southern United States.
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On Thursday, temperatures hovered between 30 and 33 degrees across much of Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, where heat warnings were in effect. These advisories are issued "when very hot or humid conditions are likely to present a high risk of heat-related discomfort, such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion , " says the Canadian ministry website.
This heat wave should end "during the night from Friday to Saturday" with the passage of a cold front and the return of rain.
