Montreal Weather in April

The snow is melting, the streets are a slushed up mess and it almost feels like spring in Montreal. "But it is spring," you say. Yes, but this is Montreal. Spring in April isn't so much a bouquet of flowers as it is melting mounds of grey snow revealing random bits of litter beneath the thaw. Truth be told, it only starts to look like spring in May.

Not that locals care. Any excuse to sit outside and soak up rays, instead of rushing from Point A to Point B to get out of the cold, is a good one.

• Average April temperature: 7-degrees C / 45-degrees F
• Average April high (day): 11-degrees C / 52-degrees F
• Average April low (night): 2.9-degrees C / 37-degrees F
• Record high: 30-degrees C / 86-degrees F
• Record low: -17.8-degrees C / 0-degrees F
• Precipitation: Anticipate 7 days of moderate to heavy rain in April and 11 days involving light on-and-off showers mixed with sun and/or cloud. One day of snow flurries a possibility, particularly in the first two weeks of the month.
• Today: Consult Montreal's Weather Forecast

Pack away those heavy parkas but don't go commando just yet. Scarves, gloves and a warm jacket are still on the agenda, though noon to late afternoon in April may require shedding a layer or two as the sun heats up the city enough to confuse even the most seasoned citizen into not knowing what to wear.

By late April, scarves and hats can generally be laid to rest until October.

Visiting Montreal in April? Pack or purchase:

• long sleeved shirts, sweaters, short-sleeved and sleeveless shirts to be layered with cardigans, fleece, and outerwear
• clothing made of wool, merino wool, cashmere and polyester for optimal insulation
• cardigans, wraps, blazers, jackets, wool jackets, trench coats
• long pants, jeans, skirts/dresses with tights, leggings
• closed toe shoes, boots, rain boots with thick woolen socks
• scarves, gloves, hats
• sunglasses and sunscreen are a must year round

Source: Environment Canada. Average temperatures, extremes, and precipitation data retrieved September 14, 2010. All information is subject to quality assurance checks by Environment Canada and may change without notice. Note that all weather statistics as presented above are averages compiled from weather data collected over a 30-year period.

Note that light showers, rain and/or snow may overlap on the same day. For example, if Month X features an average of 10 days of light showers, 10 days of heavier rain and 10 days of snowfall, that does not mean that 30 days of Month X are typically characterized by precipitation. It could mean that, on average, 10 days of Month X could feature light showers, rain, and snow within a 24-hour period.