This autumn, we’re taking knitting classes because we know that after six months of mild weather, winter (and its punishments) will return to Montreal. We’re going to have to trade in our thrifted jorts and blazers for snow boots and (knitted?) toques.
Winter will start very soon, in November, with the first snows and a cold snap that will shock our system before the end-of-year holidays. Christmas will be white, apparently, in Montreal.
To find out all about the weather in Montreal for the 2025-2026 winter season, we consulted the Almanach des Fermiers – the North American weather reference for planning your season. Before, it was to know how to prepare your crops. Now, it’s about knowing when you’re going to start panicking when you have to park on the plateau.
And, of course, we’ll also be planning our season of skiing, hot chocolate, ice skating and snow hiking.
“Almanac?
For our information, we went to theFarmer‘s Almanac, because to find out what the weather will be like in the coming months, it’s the best source to refer to.
An almanac is a “popular book published each year and containing, with a calendar, scientific or practical information”, according to the Larousse online dictionary.
Almanacs have medieval origins in their current form. They also existed in Ancient Rome, the Middle East (the word has Arabic origins) and Russia.
Quebec has had an almanac since 1915, the Almanach du Peuple, which doesn’t seem to exist anymore.
Finally, we’ve just learned that it’s apparently pronounced al-ma-na on its own, with the “k” sound to be used only in conjunction with another word…
Farmers’ Almanac forecast for winter 2025-2026
The winter season starts when it’s cold, but winter with a capital H begins with the winter solstice, on December 21.
For the 2025-2026 season, the Almanac predicts that the first snows – and the first days of bitter cold – will arrive in November. It will snow a lot, then not enough, then it will rain, then it will be very cold and then a little too hot. In short, it’s going to be a chaotic winter.
In Montreal, we’re part of the “Southern Quebec” region – even if the name “south” sometimes seems ironic during winter.
For the region, winter temperatures are forecast to be higher than normal – but beware, they’ll be higher most of the time, but will drop very low during some very cold spells.
The periods with the coldest weather and the most snow (and lots and lots of snow is forecast) will be;
- late November(sorry)
- all of December
- early January
- at the end of January
We’ll also have quite a bit of precipitation (rain) during the winter, so at least we can expect roads that aren’t too snowy this winter – but that will be icy, which isn’t much better.
In any case, Christmas will be white (magical), January will be chaotic and cold (classic) and winter will be very, very Quebecois…
Happy winter!