Extreme cold moves into southern Quebec following ice storm - Action News
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Montreal

Extreme cold moves into southern Quebec following ice storm

This weekend's freezing rain, high winds and a rapid drop in temperature continues to make getting around difficult in southern Quebec. And there's no end in sight to the exceptionally wintry weather as Environment Canada issues extreme cold warnings.

Hydro-Qubec faces deep freeze as it works to restore power

6,700 without power in Quebec

10 years ago
Duration 3:37
Canadian winter in full force as 9 provinces under warnings, watches

This weekend's freezing rain, high winds and a rapid drop in temperature continues to make getting around difficult forpeople living in the greater Montreal region and elsewhere in southern Quebec.

On Sunday, a dangerous mix of precipitation followed by freezing cold made for extremely slick road conditions.

And there's no end in sight for the extremewintry weather.

Environment Canada has issued extreme cold warnings for many regions across the province.

Temperatures in Montreal will stay below 10 C for the entire week, and could dip as low as 25 C before the windchill factor.

City of Montreal spokesman Jacques-Alain Lavalletold CBC Daybreak on Monday that 2,200 pieces of equipment and 3,000 city workers were deployed in the morning to again tackle the sidewalks and streets.

He said the sudden temperature drop presents a challenge.

"At some point the temperature is too cold for the salt to be effective," Lavalle said.

He said the city would focus on spread gravel rather than salt to help provide traction.

Widespread power outages

The weight of the ice that formed on trees caused many to snap, sending large branches down onto sidewalks, roads and power lines.

At the height of the outages, more than 150,000Quebecerswere without electricity.

Power has been restored to most Hydro-Qubec customers, but this morning there were still nearly 10,000households and businesses in the dark. Hydro crews will work throughout the day to turn the lights back on, said utility spokesman Serge Abergel.

Hydro-Qubec has a map on its website of which neighbourhoods are affected and at what time they expect to have the lights back on.

Find out what time the utility expects to restore power by clicking on the voltage sign in your neighbourhood.