Thousands of people are without power across Quebec as strong winds are expected in many parts of the province throughout the day.
More than 47,000 customers were without power in the Montérégie region as of 8 a.m. on Monday, according to Hydro-Quebec.
Another 26,921 customers were affected by power outages in the Laurentians, and more than 20,500 customers were also without power in the Eastern Townships.
In Montreal, 5,530 customers were without power at 8 a.m.
"As we speak, the numbers are going up," said Hydro-Quebec spokesperson Mathieu Rouy.
Rouy told CBC News that the outages started around 2 a.m.
"There's a huge storm coming from New England that [reached] Quebec this morning," he said.
Rouy said about 200 Hydro-Quebec teams were mobilized to deal with the power outages.
A downed tree fell into the road in Trois-Rivières overnight. (Michelle Raza/Radio-Canada)
Schools closed
Hemmingford Elementary and Franklin Elementary schools, both part of the New Frontiers School Board, were closed due to lack of electricity.
The small Eastern Townships village of Potton, Que., was also plunged into the dark, as all 2,287 customers were without power.
Strong winds overturned trucks overnight, including on Autoroute 20 near Beaumont, Que., in the Quebec City area, and on Autoroute 50 in the Outaouais region.
The Sûreté du Québec says drivers should be cautious and mindful of strong wind gusts, fallen debris and the possibility of aqua-planing on water-covered roads.
Hydro-Quebec also said more power outages were expected across the province as the day goes on due to high winds.
"Right now, it's not looking good. The weather conditions are going to deteriorate," Rouy said.
Rouy said fallen tree branches falling on power lines are the biggest problem. (Radio-Canada)
He said the main problem is when tree branches touch or fall on power lines.
"Sometimes the branches, they break … and they fall on the grid, and it causes a lot of damage," he said.
Rouy said he could not say when the power would be restored.
Wind warning in effect for Montreal
Environment Canada issued a wind warning for many parts of Quebec, including Montreal, Laval and Longueuil, as well as Quebec City and the Laurentians.
People living in the Montreal area can expect wind gusts of close to 90 km per hour as a low pressure system moves from New England towards Northern Quebec.
Loose objects may be tossed by the wind and can cause injury or damage, the agency said on its website.
"Given the presence of leaves in some trees, these severe winds will cause issues, such as broken branches and power outages," Environment Canada said.
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