Montreal Holiday Weather Overview
Montreal is Canada's second biggest city, and this is a city with a long and colourful history, and a cosmopolitan dual personality. As the capital of French speaking Quebec, Montreal has a definite European feel to it, yet it also retains its identity as a major North American cultural and commercial hub. Known for its calendar of festivals and events, Montreal is a great city to visit at any time of the year.
Montreal's Climate
Montreal has a diverse climate. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cold and snowy. The shoulder seasons, spring and autumn, are very changeable and often prone to dramatic temperature differences. However, most people visiting Montreal have a specific reason for visiting, and will plan their journey according to what they want to do there, rather than according to the weather.
Montreal in the Spring
Montreal slowly comes alive in the spring after the long winter. It's a beautiful time to visit the city, as the pavement cafes gradually open up and the parks and green spaces begin to bloom. As spring progresses, the events calendar fills up and the city is usually busy with festivals and exhibitions in late spring.
March is still very cold, with average daily highs of around 3°C and overnight lows of -4. There is still snow on the ground, and it's still coming too, with around 7 days of fresh snowfall in March. By mid April, however, most of the snow has gone and the days are often clear and sunny. May can be a rather unsettled month with heavy thunderstorms, but by the end of May you're looking at daily highs of 20°C with overnight temperatures having crept up to 10°C.
Montreal in the Summer
Summer in Montreal is warm and quite wet. The city buzzes with open air events, sports and festivals, and daily highs are typically a very pleasant 26-28°C. Heat waves are common, however, which can push temperatures well above 30°C. Overnight temperatures hover in the mid to high teens Celsius, but during a heat wave it can feel uncomfortably sticky.
Summer is one of the wettest season on Montreal, and you can catch a shower on as many as half of the days each month. Typically these are short, sharp bursts, however - the rain rarely lingers all day. Still, if you are visiting Montreal in the summer, take an umbrella.
Montreal in the Autumn
Montreal's parks and gardens are gorgeous as the autumn leaves change colour, and this is still a busy season for events and festivals too.
September is still very mild, but as October arrives the nights darken quickly and the temperatures begin to plummet. Halloween is a popular celebration in Montreal, but if you're trick or treating you'll need a sweater and a warm coat. By November, expect daytime highs of only around 5°C and night time temperatures at or just below freezing, as the first snows arrive.
Montreal in the Winter
Montreal's long winter kicks in properly in December - between then and February, day time temperatures will struggle to rise above freezing. The average daily high is around -2°C although it can feel much colder than that. At nights, temperatures easily dip to -12 or lower. Regular heavy snowfalls ensure a thick covering of snow throughout the season, but the city is well equipped to cope.
If you're visiting Montreal in the winter, you'll find a host of things to enjoy - the annual snow festival for one, and Igloofest, as well as the city's lights festival. It's a magical wonderland for snow sports too, but make sure you take proper winter clothing including a hat, gloves and boots.
Best months to visit Montreal?
July and August are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Montreal. The Montreal weather averages gathered from Montreal weather forecast and Montreal weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 26°c and average of 213.8 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Montreal?
January and February are the coldest months with temperature at around -13°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Montreal?
June and October receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 137.95mm.
Travelling to Montreal? Check out our Weather averages of Montreal to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Montreal section.