The heavy rains and thunderstorms have prompted the Canadian Environment and Climate Change Agency to issue special weather statements for Southwestern Quebec due to heavy rainfall, coinciding with the start of the Canadian summer vacation for 2023, known as construction holiday.

The wet forecast has led to the closure of the "La Ronde" amusement park for the entire day on Friday, with plans to reopen over the weekend.

The areas covered by the special weather statement are expected to receive between 30 and 50 mm of rain, while isolated thunderstorms in some areas could lead to more than 50 mm, resulting in additional flooding.

The severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect due to the possibility of strong winds, hail, frequent lightning, and heavy rainfall.

So far, in the first 20 days of July, Trudeau Airport has recorded 120 mm of rain, while the normal rainfall for the entire month of July is approximately 89 mm.

Some areas have experienced much more with storms last Thursday, which included tornado warnings.

Parts of the eastern towns are suffering from heavy rain and flooding, with Sherbrooke recording a record 258 mm of rain in July with more rain on the way.

This weather is also leading to cooler air, with a high of 23 degrees Celsius expected on Friday, while the average for July 21 is 27 degrees Celsius. Cooler conditions and scattered rain are expected to continue until Saturday, and by Sunday, temperatures are forecasted to return to more seasonal conditions with the return of sunshine.

The first week of construction holiday will see daytime highs in the upper twenties, with Montreal potentially reaching 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday, July 27, and humidity levels increasing, along with a chance of scattered rain and thunderstorms.

The second week of construction holiday will see a drop in temperatures, with expected daytime highs slightly below average and no heat waves to speak of.