Polar vortex heading for Montreal next week

Duluth Street covered with freshly fallen snow on Christmas Eve. (Daniel J. Rowe / CTV News)

Mother Nature has been buttering up Montrealers with warm winter temperatures, but the mild conditions will soon end.

Friday night, those in the area can expect to see cloudy skies with a low of -3 C.

Saturday will bring snow by noon with up to 2 centimetres expected. An above seasonal daytime high of 2 C on Saturday could cause that snow to become a snow and rain mix.

Another mild overnight low of -3 C on Saturday will give way to Sunday’s daytime high of -1 C, but those in the greater Montreal area will want to prepare for a polar vortex early next week.

The arctic air mass is expected to affect temperatures starting Sunday night, when the mercury will drop to -13 C.