Severe thunderstorm watch ended for the GTA, heat warning in effect
Posted July 6, 2023 7:16 am.
Last Updated July 6, 2023 4:08 pm.
A severe thunderstorm watch has ended for parts of the GTA after a brief period of unstable weather Thursday afternoon.
Environment Canada had issued the watch for the northern parts of York and Durham regions, including areas around Newmarket and Uxbridge. It also included Barrie and the areas around Lake Simcoe, stretching into parts of cottage country.
“The severe thunderstorm threat will diminish this evening.”
CityNews meteorologist Jessie Uppal says there is a better chance for stronger storms closer to Georgian Bay, with the potential threat of a tornado through the afternoon.
GTA sweating through 3rd day of extreme heat
Most of Ontario also remains under a heat warning with Environment Canada saying temperatures could once again creep towards 40 C when the humidity is factored in.
“Very hot and humid conditions continue in the GTA for one last day,” says Uppal.
It already felt close to 30 C in Toronto as most people were waking up for work on Thursday morning. The guaranteed high for Wednesday is 30 C, feeling closer to 40 with the humidex.
Friday should provide some relief with the extreme heat expected to taper off and a daytime high that will be several degrees cooler. A high of 27 C is expected.
Residents are being reminded to drink plenty of water and continually check on vulnerable individuals for symptoms of heat illness such as fainting, swelling, heat exhaustion and stroke. Young children, pregnant women, older adults, people with chronic illnesses and people working or exercising outdoors are at greater risk during periods of extreme heat.
The City of Toronto extended outdoor pool hours to just shy of midnight at seven locations on Tuesday and Wednesday. There is no word yet if hours will be extended again on Thursday.
- Alex Duff
- Giovanni Caboto
- McGregor Park
- Monarch Park
- Parkway Forest
- Smithfield Park
- Sunnyside
More information on city pools and beaches can be found here.
Earth continues to see record-high temperatures
Earth’s average temperature remained at a record high Wednesday, after two days in which the planet reached unofficial records.
It’s the latest marker in a series of climate-change-driven extremes.
The average global temperature was 17.18 C (62.9 F), according to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, a tool that uses satellite data and computer simulations to measure the world’s condition. That came after highs of 17.01 C (62.6 F) on Monday and 17.18 C (62.9 F) on Tuesday.
Scientists have warned for months that 2023 could see record heat as human-caused climate change, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil, warmed the atmosphere.
With files from The Canadian Press and Associated Press
