Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch with the weather agency saying that conditions are “favourable for the development of dangerous thunderstorms.”
In its notice, the weather agency says in its orange-level watch that the thunderstorms may be capable of producing what they describe as damaging wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain.
This includes the potential for damaging winds with gusts in excess of 110 km/h possible, quarter to ping pong-ball size hail, torrential downpours with local rainfall amounts up to 50 millimetres, and a risk of a tornado.
The thunderstorm is expected to hit sometime Wednesday afternoon and continue into the evening.
Additional information was provided by Environment Canada below:
Thunderstorms are expected to develop mid to late this afternoon along and ahead of an advancing cold front.
There still remains some uncertainty with how strong thunderstorms could become due to some lingering cloud cover across the region which could inhibit how much instability builds in.
Latest trends in observational data and models still indicate that sufficient instability should build leading to a robust severe weather threat. The primary concern with any thunderstorms will be for strong and potentially damaging winds along with large hail and torrential rain.
That being said, conditions could become favourable for some thunderstorms to be able to produce a tornado. Utility outages are possible. Significant damage to property, buildings and trees is possible. There is a risk of serious injury.
Be prepared for severe weather. If threatening weather approaches, take cover in a basement or interior room. If outside, protect yourself from flying debris and hail. When thunder roars, go indoors!
Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Emergency Management Ontario recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches. Large hail can cause significant damage and injury. Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms capable of producing damaging hail, wind or rain.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or post reports on social media using #ONStorm. For more information: ontario.ca/page/be-prepared-emergency.
