Fierce Winds and Heavy Rain Leave Tens of Thousands Without Power in Quebec
It was quite a chaotic scene across southern Quebec this week as strong winds and heavy rain swept through the region, leaving tens of thousands of households in the dark. At the height of the storm, nearly 73,000 outages were recorded, plunging communities into uncertainty as Hydro-Québec teams rushed to repair damaged lines. By late evening, over 47,000 homes were still without electricity, with the regions of Lanaudière, Montérégie, and the Laurentides among the hardest hit. Even Montreal was not spared, as close to 4,000 residents lost power.
According to Environment Canada, gusts reaching between 60 and 70 kilometers per hour battered areas stretching from Montreal to Trois-Rivières. Though no official severe thunderstorm warning was issued, the combination of organized wind patterns and bursts of rainfall created significant damage. Meteorologists explained that these sweeping gusts are often responsible for widespread power outages, especially when they coincide with saturated ground and weakened infrastructure.
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The storm’s effects were not limited to power disruptions. In Lanaudière, Collège Esther-Blondin announced it would remain closed for the day due to “major damages on the grounds” and ongoing electrical problems. Meanwhile, travelers also felt the impact. At Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, more than a dozen flights were delayed, many of them bound for international destinations like Toronto, New York, and Europe. Passengers had to adjust plans on the spot, as airlines scrambled to accommodate the backlog.
Environment Canada had also warned of significant rainfall, with forecasts predicting 10 to 15 millimeters of accumulation by midnight in some areas. These downpours, combined with thunder and lightning in the Laurentides, created additional hazards for drivers and pedestrians navigating the storm.
Hydro-Québec assured the public that crews were fully mobilized, working around the clock to restore power. The company acknowledged the scale of the damage but emphasized that every effort was being made to get households back online as quickly as possible. By late night, numbers were slowly improving, though tens of thousands remained affected.
Residents across the province woke up Friday still facing the aftermath. Around 40,000 homes remained in the dark in the morning, with outages concentrated in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Mauricie, and the Capitale-Nationale in addition to the hardest-hit southern regions. For electric vehicle owners, the disruption was felt even more sharply. At L’Étape, the key charging point between Quebec City and Saguenay, only one of the 18 stations was working, forcing travelers to rethink routes or rely on backup power.
These kinds of weather events have become all too familiar in recent years, highlighting both the vulnerability of infrastructure and the unpredictability of nature. While repairs are underway and power is gradually being restored, many Quebecers were reminded yet again of how quickly daily routines can be overturned by sudden storms.
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