Montreal-area schools close as powerful winter storm blows into southern Quebec

Montreal-area school boards have already begun announcing closures on the eve of one of the biggest winter storms of the season.

Up to 40 centimetres of snow is expected by Thursday morning, with another storm Sunday. It's an uncommon sequence of weather systems, according to Peter Kimbell, an Environment Canada meteorologist.

"We have two storms back-to-back on Thursday and Sunday, which is unusual after a stretch of mild weather," he said.

School closures for Thursday so far include:

This may not be a complete list as school boards, CEGEPs and universities continue to make announcements late Wednesday. Parents and students are advised to check their school's communications for closures.

Montreal's snow-clearing teams will begin clearing major arteries as soon as the storm hits and will continue working through Thursday. On Friday, they'll start clearing sidewalks, but will pause before the second storm.

"They're expecting more snow Saturday and Sunday, so the city will wait until Sunday to resume operations," said city spokesperson Philippe Sabourin.

The city is advising people to plan for rapidly changing conditions, prioritize public transport, cancel non-urgent appointments and work from home if possible. 

"Several roadways across Quebec will be affected, and the situation could evolve quickly, requiring heightened vigilance from drivers," the Transport Ministry says in a news release.

The heavy snowfall along with strong winds and drifting snow, will severely reduce visibility on the roads, it says.