A vigorous cold front has generated violent thunderstorms across several regions in Quebec on May 5, 2026. The most affected areas include the Laurentians and Lanaudière, just north of Montreal. Wind gusts reached up to 100 km/h at Sherbrooke airport, causing significant disruptions.
At the peak of the outages around 4 PM, over 50,000 customers were without power. Severe thunderstorm alerts were issued in multiple regions, prompting concerns for public safety.
Key statistics:
- Wind gusts reached 100 km/h at Sherbrooke airport.
- Over 50,000 customers experienced power outages.
- Temperatures are expected to drop below 10° Celsius from Tuesday to Wednesday due to the cold front.
As summer storms become more frequent—Quebec averages 12 days with at least one thunderstorm in May compared to just four days in April—the implications of such severe weather events warrant attention. Environnement Canada issued warnings that activities on water could be dangerous due to sudden and violent gusts.
Officials have not confirmed if any injuries occurred during this weather event. Thunderstorm warnings were eventually lifted by the end of the evening, but the aftermath remains concerning for many residents.
