Today's cold has set a record in Quebec.

Environment Canada confirms a new low for Nov. 22 was reached Thursday in the Outaouais region, as well as in the south of Quebec.

For Montreal, the previous record for Nov. 22 was –14 C in 1972. On Thursday, it was –17.8 C.

In the afternoon, intense cold temperatures were recorded in the south of the province, as well as in the Lower St. Lawrence and on the North Shore.

Alexandre Parent, a meteorologist at Environment Canada, said a cold air mass that is more typical of late December or January came in and caused the exceptional temperatures.

He said the cold air mass comes from Nunavut, close to the North Pole.

"The cold temperatures that have affected northern Quebec and Ontario since September have covered the Hudson Bay with ice earlier, and the ice-free part also contains cooler water," he said.

The meteorologist said, however, that more research is needed to confirm that theory.

Parent said that the cold snap will be short-lived.

Temperatures will remain below seasonal norms on Friday, but with much lighter winds, it won't feel so cold.

Then, on Saturday and Sunday, the weather will gradually approach more seasonable temperatures for southern and central Quebec.

The forecast calls for a high of zero during the day Saturday, and between –5 C and –8 C at night.