Road Conditions on drive from Washington, DC to Quebec City over Christmas

A simple rule: check the weather regularly, and find a place to stay before it starts snowing.

Once the storm is over, the road crews will have the highways cleared within a few hours. And if you wait until traffic starts to crawl, you will probably find that there's no place to stay.

While people from northern states like to think of themselves as competent drivers in snow (and I'm one of them), it's a myth (in large part because the road crews do such a good job of clearing the roads that most people never actually drive in a storm). Plus, major highways are filled with people who are not from northern states. Everyone slows down, a few people slow down too much, queuing theory rears its ugly head, and traffic comes to a near standstill.

An anecdote: there was a pre-Christmas storm in 2004. A friend and I both left Philadelphia on the afternoon the storm was forecast, following the same route through Ohio (he was going to Cleveland, I was going to Ann Arbor MI). I got a room in Pittsburgh, he went straight through. The snow started 20 miles from his destination, and it took him several hours to cover those miles. In the morning the roads were clear (although the medians featured overturned tractor-trailers).

And a word of advice: keep a sleeping bag in your car. Just in case you decide not to get a hotel room until it's too late. If you have to sleep in a rest area or parking lot, you don't want to risk either CO poisoning or running out of gas due to leaving the engine running. Even a midweight bag is comfortable in an enclosed car (here again, I speak from experience).

Generally speaking American and Canadian roads are fairly well cared for in the winter. Interstates and Autoroutes even more so than smaller rural roads. The only time I'd be worried (I live in the greater DC/Northern Virginia area) about making that trip, even in my own Mustang, is during an actual snow storm/blizzard. Even then, I'm originally from Michigan and I'd just use my wife's car instead and go for it. Driving in the snow, for me, is relaxing.

Also, there are three things to worry about in the Northeast US. Snow drifts, drifting snow (not the same thing) and ice. If it is snowing faster than the plows can keep up, you'll get drifts. They will be impassible by a normal 2wd vehicle. Drifting/blowing snow causes blindness of the road and an inability to see the roads sides (whiteout). Pull over until the winds subside. If it is warm enough for ice, the plows will be dropping ice melt (colloquially 'salt') and the roads will probably be more wet than slick. Good luck with your trip and make it an adventure. Pack well, dress warm.

Finally, The Weather Channel is your friend.

Unless your driving in a snow storm, the road are usually we cared. For the Autoroutes in Quebec, check the Quebec511 website. It will give you the road condition, visibility condition and any problem, like road closure, in real time.

For added safety, you should put winter tire on your car, it will give you a better adherence to the road. Also be sure to use winter windshield washer fluid, you don't want it to freeze on you windshield or in the tube. I also recommend that you have a spare canister, you can use a lot depending on the road condition (wet or dry).

Since you are going to Quebec city in winter, be sure to bring warn clothing, the temperature can drop to -40. On a side note, if you have time, go try the toboggan ice slide at the Chateau Frontenac.