Alpine weather forecast
Avalanche Québec offers a weather forecast specifically for the Chic-Chocs. It is prepared twice a week by a professional meteorologist at Alpine Weather Consultants.
Presented by
Published on
March 2, 2026Effective for
March 2, 2026 to March 5, 2026Short and medium-term outlook
Puffy time
A northwesterly flow Sunday night open the door to an Arctic air mass which descended upon the region and plunged temperatures down to a chilly -25C. With moderate to strong (40-60 km/h) forecast to continue on Monday wind chill values will approach -40! Needless to say, anyone venturing up into the mountains will want their biggest puffy jackets, big mitts, and multiple layers. At least the sun will be shining above the low cloud by the coast so there`s that.
Cloud cover will then increase on Tuesday as an upper trough approaches from the west. Winds will swing around to the southwest which will help temperatures climb to a more comfortable -10C in the mountains. Light flurries will develop in the afternoon and intensify Tuesday night with the passage of the trough. Models are in good agreement and keeping total snowfall amounts fairly conservative at 2 to 4 cm by midday Wednesday. The snow will me low density/powdery and will be easily transported to easterly aspects. With a maximum temperature near -5C, Wednesday will feel down right balmy compared to Monday. Watch for strengthening NW winds Wednesday night in the wake of the trough, possibly reaching as high as 70-100 km/h. Temperatures will fall once again towards -20C by Thursday morning so keep those puffies handy.
A ridge of high pressure is forecast to build into central Quebec on Thursday helping to clear skies and for the early March sun to shine. The northwest winds will ease throughout the day making for a beautiful crisp day in the mountains with a high near -13C. Looking further out, the pattern appears fairly quiet into next weekend with a possible warm up on Sunday. We will be issuing three forecasts this week with the next one scheduled for Wednesday so be sure to tune back in for an update. Til then, stay warm!
Forecast Confidence :
Good confidence given the relatively straightforward pattern. Following the recent cold temperatures, sea ice coverage has increased to 70-80%. The cold northwest flow could generate a few flurries along the coast on Monday, but no measurable accumulation is expected. Models do differ with the depth of the trough Wednesday night, some suggesting a vigorous cold front which would support the above mentioned strong to extreme winds.
