Latest news with #southernQuebec
CTV News
20-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Feels like 46!? Heat wave on its way to Montreal
A boy and girl dunk their heads in a water fountain during a heat wave in Montreal, Monday, July 2, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes) Summer in Montreal is officially kicking off with warmer-than-seasonal temperatures. A hot and humid airmass is making its way to southern Quebec next week, and will most likely send the mercury soaring. It all begins on Monday, where daytime highs could hover around 32 degrees Celsius, with a mix of sun and cloud in the forecast. The humidity may make it feel like 46 degrees. Overnight, Montreal should hold onto some of the warmth from the day, with a low of 25 degrees Celsius, close to the daytime high. Tuesday could bring even more sunshine and another hot day, with a high of 33 degrees Celsius, feeling like 44 degrees. Into the evening, Montrealers can expect a low-pressure system to bring some showers and relief from the heat, with a low of 19 degrees Celsius. Wednesday could see a mix of sun and cloud, with temperatures dipping ever so slightly to a daytime high of 27 degrees Celsius – still above normal. Temperatures should dip to 15 degrees Celsius overnight with a 60 per cent chance of showers. An umbrella may come in handy on Thursday as there is a 60 per cent chance of showers and a normal high of 24 degrees Celsius. Heat safety High body temperatures can cause grave injury or lead to death. The Quebec Health Ministry is asking people to take precautions during the heat wave: Drink six to eight glasses of water a day before feeling thirsty; Avoid alcoholic beverages or caffeine; Spend at least two hours a day in an air-conditioned or cool place; Take at least one cool shower or bath or cool your skin with wet towels; Limit physical activity; Wear light clothes. Signs of heat illness include swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the worsening of some health conditions. 'Reduce your heat risk,' Environment and Climate Change Canada notes. 'Schedule outdoor activities during the coolest parts of the day.' Anyone with health-related questions is encouraged to call Info-Santé at 811. In case of emergency, call 911. Child safety Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even if the windows are partially open. Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle. Make a habit of looking in the vehicle, front and back, before locking the door and walking away. Make sure your childcare provider knows to call you if your child has not been dropped off at their usual time. Always place an item (such as a purse) in the backseat so you have to open the door each time you leave the vehicle. Keep a large stuffed animal in your child's car seat when it is not occupied. When your child is in the car, put the stuffed animal in the front passenger seat. When you arrive at your destination, avoid any distractions, including talking on the phone or texting. If you see a child alone in a vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to the heat, get them out as quickly as possible and call 911 immediately. Pool safety In Quebec, one child a day arrives in an emergency room for drowning or near-drowning during the summer, according to the Montreal Children's Hospital (MCH). In the last 30 years, the MCH trauma centre says it has seen more than 400 drownings and near-drownings. Data show that 73 per cent of the incidents occurred in residential pools, park pools, aquatic centres and water parks. Some ways to prevent drowning hazards:
CTV News
10-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Severe thunderstorm warning ends for Montreal area
A pedestrians runs through a rainstorm Thursday, July 13, 2023 in Montreal. Power outages persist in the Montreal area after severe thunderstorms ripped through southern Quebec on Thursday, downing trees, snapping poles and breaking wires. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz After a heavy downpour and strong winds in Montreal, Environment and Climate Change Canada's severe thunderstorm warning has ended. The weather agency issued the alert shortly after 2:30 p.m. Tuesday for parts of southern Quebec, warning about strong wind gusts and heavy rainfall. As the warning was lifted around 3 p.m., Montreal was under mostly cloudy skies and a high of 21 C. Skies are expected to clear Tuesday evening, with wind gusts of up to 50 km/h and a low of 15 C. The forecast for Wednesday calls for a mix of sun and clouds and a high of 25 C.
CBC
22-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
Lyme disease continues to rise in Quebec and climate change is partially to blame
Cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses have been increasing in Quebec for more than a decade, and experts say climate change is partially to blame. With increasing temperatures, ticks are becoming more established, especially in southern Quebec, said Kirsten Crandall, a scientific adviser with the Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ). And with host animals moving north, be they birds or deer, ticks are covering a broader range, she said. This is especially true for black-legged ticks which can transmit Lyme, she added. "I think we will definitely be continuing on that rise in the number of different tick-borne diseases," said Crandall. "Lyme disease obviously being the one with the most case numbers." Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted by the bite of black-legged ticks. The first symptom is usually a single circular rash. "Stage 2 and Stage 3 of Lyme disease can affect your heart, you can have neurological symptoms," said Dr. Donald Vinh, an infectious disease specialist at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). "When it comes to those stages there are antibiotics, but they tend to be more intravenous types of antibiotics. So, it's really important to prevent it." Number of cases rising The number of declared cases of Lyme disease grew from 127 in 2014 to 653 in 2023. But not all were caught in the province. In 2014, 66 cases were acquired in Quebec. In 2023, that number jumped to 562, or 86 per cent. Last year, there were 681 cases declared in Quebec, with 568 infections acquired in the province. As of May 14 of this year, there were 61 reported cases, compared with 68 in the same period last year. Jade Savage, an entomology professor at Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, said Quebec had an early spring last year, which meant ticks were active sooner. This year, spring has come later — meaning the ticks' activity is later. Vinh said Quebecers should expect the annual totals to keep rising. While increased forest excursions and not enough vigilance may play a role, Vinh said another factor is greater awareness among health-care providers that Lyme disease is now endemic in southern Quebec. The black-legged tick population itself has also been growing. Last year, the INSPQ mapped the projected spread to help communities and governments plan for the coming decades. The maps show ticks expanding in areas where they are already found and into northern and eastern regions where they are not usually seen, including Saguenay, the Lower St. Lawrence and the Gaspé. Crandall said rising temperatures will let tick populations thrive even in places that are typically cooler year-round. Black-legged ticks can become active after just a few consecutive days above 0 C. Most Lyme infections are acquired in spring and early summer when young ticks are in the nymph stage and are much harder to spot than adult ticks. Adult ticks are easier to see and are more active in the fall. Crandall said Lyme disease's major endemic regions are the Outaouais, Montérégie and the Eastern Townships. She said cases are also cropping up along the St. Lawrence River valley. According to the Health Ministry, there are only four Quebec regions where ticks aren't established: Côte-Nord, Nord-du-Québec, Nunavik and Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James. However, the ministry adds, not all established tick populations carry Lyme. An established tick population is one that returns and continues to thrive after winter. Less worry, more prevention While cases acquired in Quebec are rising, Crandall said Lyme disease isn't necessarily something to worry about, but it is something to adapt to. That's why the INSPQ and Health Ministry are working to educate the public about tick bite prevention, Crandall said. Information about ticks, Lyme disease and tick bite protection can be found on the Health Ministry's website. Savage launched in 2017 with INSPQ and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The tool, which works as an app or on the website, now serves the entire country, letting people report and identify ticks by uploading a photo. The site also offers advice on preventing bites. Although 2025 tick reports are off to a slow start because of cooler weather and later spring, she does not expect that to affect the rest of the season. Last year saw a record number of submissions, though that partly reflects the app's growing popularity. For every 100 submissions, as many as 75 per cent are identified as black-legged ticks. They continue to move into new areas, transported by birds, deer and other hosts, Savage said. "They keep on expanding and they keep on being more numerous, but that is not necessarily a fully linear process," she explained.
