Cottage country, parts of the GTA under thunderstorm watch

If you are getting a head start to your long weekend, which includes perhaps going to the cottage, it could get stormy on Thursday afternoon and into the evening hours for parts of Ontario.

Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for northern Durham Region, east to Kingston, north to Parry Sound and Muskoka, as well as for Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes area.

“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain,” the national weather agency says.

The storm could bring with it toonie to golf ball-size hail, along with wind gusts of up to 100 km/h, and heavy downpours.

CityNews 680 meteorologist Jill Taylor said it will be unsettled in the GTA on Thursday, with humid conditions and clouds increasing throughout the day. The temperature is expected to soar to 30 C but feeling more like 36 C with the humidity.

Friday will see a mix of sun and cloud and a chance for showers and thunderstorms, with the humidex hovering in the low 30s.

Looking ahead to the long weekend, it will be mainly sunny on Saturday for the Toronto Caribbean Carnival’s Grand Parade with a high of 25 C.

Rain is expected to return to the GTA on Sunday night and at times on Monday.