City To Finally Get Break From Heat Wave
Posted August 3, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The end is near. No, it’s not some kind of fatalistic prophecy. This prediction has a lot more to do with the heat wave that’s gripped the city for the past week. The GTA went to bed Thursday on a freakishly hot night, where the mercury read 28C around midnight. It woke up to a severe thunderstorm warning on Friday and air conditioners churning to temperatures still in the mid-20 range and warnings of humidex values near 38.
But all the extreme heat that’s prompted alerts from the city will be gone by the time evening arrives and a cold front brings drier and much more breathable air with it. Readings should deflate slightly to a still warm 29C on Saturday, but it will be noticeably more comfortable for the long weekend, with a chance of showers on Monday. It should be easier to sleep, too, as overnight lows dip to 17C.
The news comes as a relief to many, after the city sweltered through a record breaking day 24 hours earlier. The high of 35C Thursday broke an existing mark of 34.6 set exactly a year ago. And pleas for electricity conservation were answered, as peak demand was about a thousand megawatts less than what the Independent Electricity System Operator had forecast. The hydro monitor credits that to cooperation from homeowners, who turned down their air conditioning slightly, stores that lowered their lighting and the fact many people are simply away from their houses and businesses on vacation.
A smog advisory continues for most of the province, but the holiday and the lower temps. should also help ease the bad air days. Check the current air quality in your area.
What’s open and closed on the holiday?
