Best time to go to Quebec for a perfect weather and where to go?
Julie Parment and Tony Samson last update: 14/11/2024When is the best time to go to Quebec?
From a climatic perspective, the best time to visit Quebec is between June and September. However, the Canadian province can be explored year-round, depending on the experiences you wish to have on-site.
- If you want to tour the festivals, summer is undoubtedly the best time to go to Quebec. Montreal hosts the most festivals, but you will surely find a cultural or musical event near wherever you are in the region.
- For outdoor activities and even enjoying the beach, the months of July and August are perfect, provided you protect yourself well against mosquitoes, which are particularly voracious in Quebec!
- To observe the whales returning from their migration, go between May and October. Quebec is particularly attractive and is home to 13 species of cetaceans, including the famous blue whale, the largest animal on Earth. To see them, several options are available: join a sea outing with a specialized company, go kayaking on the Saint Lawrence River, or you can even admire them from the shore, for example by following the Whale Route.
- To fully enjoy Indian summer, visit Quebec between the last week of September and mid-October. You will then witness an incredible natural spectacle with vegetation taking on unreal colors. This short period is also marked by sunny and mild weather, perfect for exploring the province under the best conditions.
- If you dream of discovering Quebec under its blanket of snow and practicing winter sports, go between December and mid-April, when the 70 ski resorts are open. The province receives over 400 cm of snow each season, so you are sure to make the most of it. Enjoy skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or dog sledding! However, if you fear extreme cold, it's best to go in December or March-April, when temperatures are a bit milder.
- Spring is not the most pleasant season to visit Quebec: even though the long-awaited thaw is indeed here, the melting transforms the streets into vast expanses of slush, a kind of mud made of melted snow and dirt. Nevertheless, it is the best time to stay in a sugar shack and make maple taffy.
- When to visit Quebec based on crowd levels? Unsurprisingly, the high tourist season lasts from June to September, with a peak in July and August. During this time, prices soar, whether for plane tickets or accommodations, and it is necessary to make your reservations well in advance to hope for reasonable rates. Additionally, there are crowds at all the must-see places in the province. To avoid these inconveniences, a good compromise is to travel in May or October.
Where and when to go based on the weather?
Côte-Nord
Tadoussac, Baie-Comeau, Blanc-Sablon...
Gaspésie
Gaspé (Gaspé Peninsula), Rimouski, Carleton-sur-Mer...
Northern Quebec
Salluit, Chibougamau, Kuururjuaq National Park...
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
Saguenay, Saint-Felicien, Alma...
South East of Quebec
Montreal, Sherbrooke, Drummondville...
South West of Quebec
Quebec City, Charlevoix, Val-d'Or...
To get all the information about the climate and weather in Quebec for a specific month, click on the corresponding link below:
Quebec in january Quebec in february Quebec in march Quebec in april Quebec in may Quebec in june Quebec in july Quebec in august Quebec in september Quebec in october Quebec in november Quebec in december
Best time to travel to Quebec by cities
Climate and Weather in Quebec
This province of Canada covers a vast area, three times that of France. Due to its geographical position, the climate in Quebec is of 3 different types:
- A humid continental climate that is temperate and without a dry season is largely predominant as it covers 76% of the territory. This is, for example, the climate found in Montreal, Gaspé, and Sherbrooke.
- A subarctic climate with cold winters mainly affects the northernmost coast, around Blanc-Sablon, but also in certain southern areas, such as the regions of Charlevoix or Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River.
- A polar tundra climate is found in the extreme north of Quebec, around Salluit, not far from Greenland.
Quebec's Climate in Summer
During the summer season, the weather in Quebec is generally very pleasant, making it a great time to explore all its wonders. Rain may occasionally make an appearance, but it is unlikely to spoil your trip, as showers are usually brief.
In the entire southern part and around Lake Saint-Jean, the climate is favorable from late June to late September. July is the hottest month of this period, with averages between 23 and 25°C (77°F) . In August, temperatures drop by 1 to 2°C (36°F) , and maximums lose another 4 to 5°C (41°F) in September, reaching 16 to 20°C (68°F) depending on the regions. It is indeed in the southeast, around Montreal, that temperatures are the mildest.
In the west and in Gaspésie, the weather is also nice from June to September, but temperatures are cooler. Expect an average of 20°C (68°F) in July and August, and 16°C (61°F) in June and September. If you hope to swim, it's better not to be sensitive to cold, as water temperatures do not exceed 16°C (61°F) in both July and August.
Along the north coast, only July and August offer a favorable climate for a stay, with temperatures averaging between 19 and 22°C (72°F) at the warmest part of the day. At the end of June and in September, temperatures range between 14 and 15°C (59°F) .
In northern Quebec, no season is favorable from a climatic perspective. However, one could say that summer is the most feasible period, with temperatures around 14°C (58°F) in July and August, despite more abundant rainfall than the rest of the year.
Quebec's Climate in Autumn
While the end of September still enjoys the last rays of summer sun, temperatures drop significantly starting in October. However, the province experiences a meteorological phenomenon typical of North America: Indian summer. Just after the first chills, a wave of heat returns for about a week, from the last week of September to mid-October, depending on the latitude.
- In October, the weather is particularly rainy across the territory, and snow may already begin to fall, especially in the north where temperatures hover around 2°C (36°F) . The southeast still shows decent temperatures with averages around 12°C (54°F) , but elsewhere, expect values around 9-10°C.
- In November, the climate already seems wintry with an average temperature of -5°C in the north and between 2 and 4°C (40°F) elsewhere. However, precipitation is less abundant than in October, and beautiful sunny days regularly warm the atmosphere.
- In December, winter is indeed here, temperatures are negative everywhere, and snow is on the agenda. Expect averages around -2°C in the southeast, west, and in Gaspésie, between -4 and -6°C in the southwest, around Lake Saint-Jean and on the north coast, and around -12°C in northern Quebec.
Quebec's Climate in Winter
Spanning from late December to late March, winter in Quebec is very harsh with consistently negative temperatures and significant snowfall.
- Late December, January, and February are the coldest months of the year. Generally, temperatures hover around -8°C in the southeast, west, and in Gaspésie, between -8 and -10°C on the north coast, around Lake Saint-Jean and in the southwest. In the north, expect values around -18°C. Note that extreme cold waves can occur, and temperatures between -30 and -40°C are not that rare!
- In March, temperatures rise by 4 to 6°C (43°F) across the territory, but we are still far from spring warmth, and only the southeast region experiences days above 0°C (32°F) .
Quebec's Climate in Spring
In spring, winter seems to want to extend its stay in Quebec. Of course, temperatures gradually rise, but they start from such low levels that the values are still quite cold!
- In April, the climate is still unfavorable everywhere, and it regularly snows in the northern regions. Further south, it is a particularly rainy and gray month. In terms of temperatures, averages range from 6 to 8°C (47°F) in the south, 2 to 4°C (40°F) in the west and along the north coast, and -5°C in northern Quebec.
- In May, only the southeast experiences truly pleasant weather with a decrease in precipitation and a nice average of 17°C (63°F) . In the southeast and around Lake Saint-Jean, a stay is feasible as temperatures range from 14 to 16°C (61°F) . On the north coast, in the west, and in Gaspésie, it is still cool, around 10°C (50°F) .
- In June, the entire western and southern parts enjoy pleasant weather with temperatures between 16 and 21°C (70°F) . Expect 1 to 2°C (36°F) less on the north coast and still a cool 10°C (50°F) in the most northern areas.
Temperatures and rainfall in Quebec
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Quebec and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Quebec City, Gaspé (Gaspé Peninsula), Montreal, Alma and Baie-Comeau, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Quebec
Find out when Quebec has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Quebec
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Quebec is high in: June, July, August and September.
- Very low season in Quebec: January, February, March and April.
- Low season in Quebec: May, October, November and December.
- High season in Quebec: June and September.
- Peak season in Quebec: July and August.
Figure: Visitor index for Quebec month by month
Average price for flights to Quebec
A return flight between New York City and Montreal is generally cheaper if you go in april ($ 289 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 41 more for your airline ticket to Montreal if you go in november.
Where to go in Quebec?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Quebec City | 20°F | 22°F | 31°F | 45°F | 63°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 67°F | 54°F | 40°F | 27°F |
| Gaspé (Gaspé Peninsula) | 23°F | 23°F | 29°F | 38°F | 52°F | 61°F | 70°F | 70°F | 61°F | 50°F | 40°F | 31°F |
| Montreal | 23°F | 25°F | 36°F | 52°F | 67°F | 74°F | 79°F | 79°F | 72°F | 58°F | 43°F | 31°F |
| Alma | 16°F | 18°F | 27°F | 41°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 72°F | 63°F | 50°F | 36°F | 23°F |
| Baie-Comeau | 20°F | 20°F | 29°F | 40°F | 52°F | 61°F | 67°F | 67°F | 59°F | 49°F | 38°F | 27°F |
| Blanc-Sablon | 22°F | 20°F | 27°F | 34°F | 43°F | 54°F | 61°F | 65°F | 56°F | 47°F | 36°F | 27°F |
| Carleton-sur-Mer | 20°F | 22°F | 29°F | 40°F | 56°F | 67°F | 72°F | 72°F | 63°F | 50°F | 38°F | 27°F |
| Charlevoix | 18°F | 18°F | 27°F | 38°F | 56°F | 65°F | 70°F | 68°F | 61°F | 49°F | 34°F | 23°F |
| Chibougamau | 11°F | 14°F | 25°F | 38°F | 58°F | 68°F | 74°F | 70°F | 61°F | 47°F | 32°F | 18°F |
| Drummondville | 23°F | 25°F | 34°F | 49°F | 65°F | 72°F | 77°F | 76°F | 68°F | 56°F | 41°F | 29°F |
| Kuururjuaq National Park | 2°F | 2°F | 11°F | 25°F | 38°F | 50°F | 56°F | 56°F | 47°F | 38°F | 25°F | 13°F |
| Rimouski | 20°F | 22°F | 29°F | 41°F | 54°F | 65°F | 70°F | 70°F | 61°F | 49°F | 38°F | 27°F |
| Saguenay | 16°F | 18°F | 27°F | 41°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 72°F | 63°F | 50°F | 36°F | 23°F |
| Saint-Felicien | 16°F | 18°F | 27°F | 40°F | 58°F | 67°F | 72°F | 70°F | 61°F | 49°F | 38°F | 23°F |
| Salluit | -5°F | -9°F | 2°F | 16°F | 31°F | 43°F | 54°F | 52°F | 41°F | 31°F | 20°F | 7°F |
| Sherbrooke | 23°F | 25°F | 34°F | 47°F | 63°F | 72°F | 77°F | 76°F | 67°F | 54°F | 40°F | 29°F |
| Tadoussac | 20°F | 22°F | 29°F | 41°F | 58°F | 67°F | 72°F | 72°F | 63°F | 50°F | 40°F | 27°F |
| Val-d'Or | 16°F | 18°F | 27°F | 41°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 72°F | 63°F | 49°F | 34°F | 22°F |
| Amos | 16°F | 18°F | 27°F | 41°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 72°F | 63°F | 49°F | 34°F | 22°F |
| Anticosti Island | 20°F | 20°F | 27°F | 38°F | 49°F | 59°F | 67°F | 67°F | 58°F | 47°F | 36°F | 25°F |
Legend:
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Quebec
What can I do in Quebec?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Quebec reliable?
Climate data for Quebec has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Quebec allows us to determine the average for each month in Quebec City, Gaspé (Gaspé Peninsula), Montreal, Alma, Baie-Comeau, Blanc-Sablon, Carleton-sur-Mer, Charlevoix, and 45 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.