Tornados and severe thunderstorms are possible in highly populated areas across Ontario and Quebec, including the regions around Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Environment Canada has issued a cascade of severe weather alerts, including five warnings in northern Ontario and 71 weather watches, elsewhere.
The department notes that in the case of tornados and thunderstorms, alerts can appear or intensify quickly, sometimes with less than half an hour’s notice. Residents are advised to monitor severe weather alerts for their area on Environment Canada’s website.
Tornado watch alerts
The following regions and communities are under tornado watch.
- In Ontario: Deep River – Whitney – Eastern Algonquin Park, Western Algonquin Park – Lake of Two Rivers, Bancroft – Hastings Highlands – Denbigh, Kaladar – Bannockburn – Bon Echo Park, Barrie – Collingwood – Hillsdale, Midland – Coldwater – Orr Lake, Orillia – Lagoon City – Washago, Innisfil – New Tecumseth – Angus, Orangeville – Grand Valley – Southern Dufferin County, Shelburne – Mansfield – Northern Dufferin County, Haliburton – Minden – Southern Haliburton County, Oxtongue Lake – Fort Irwin – Northern Haliburton County, Caledon, Bracebridge – Gravenhurst, Huntsville – Baysville, Port Carling – Port Severn, Apsley – Woodview – Northern Peterborough County, Fenelon Falls – Balsam Lake Park – Northern Kawartha Lakes, Lindsay – Southern Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough City – Lakefield – Southern Peterborough County, Barry’s Bay – Killaloe, Petawawa – Pembroke – Cobden, Renfrew – Arnprior – Calabogie, Newmarket – Georgina – Northern York Region and Uxbridge – Beaverton – Northern Durham Region
- In Quebec: Amos area, La Sarre area, Lebel-sur-Quévillon area, Malartic area, Rouyn area, Senneterre area, Val d’Or – Louvicourt area, Dorval Lodge area, Le Domaine area, La Minerve – Rouge River area, Mont-Laurier area, Gouin Reservoir area, Parent area, Fort William – Shawville area, Rapides-des-Joachims area, Témiscaming area, Ville-Marie area, Lièvre River area, Low – Wakefield area, Maniwaki – Gracefield area and Papineau-Labelle Reserve area, Papineauville – Chénéville area
The federal government alert notes that severe thunderstorms are liable to bring tornados, and goes on to advise against water-related activities due to the risk of “violent and sudden gusts of wind,” as well as lightning strikes.
Residents in affected areas are advised to go to the lowest floor of their home, away from external walls and windows. Temporary, freestanding shelter such as tents, mobile homes or vehicles should be avoided, in favour of sturdier structures. As a last resort, those without immediate access to shelter should lie in a low spot and protect their head from flying debris.
Severe weather warnings
Currently, there are severe weather warnings in Ontario’s Chapleau-Missinaibi Lake, Timmins – Cochrane – Iroquois Falls and Kapuskasing-Hearst-Smooth Rock Falls regions, northeast of Lake Superior, as well as Nipigon – Rossport and Nipigon – Rossport, near Thunder Bay, Ont.
The warnings describe severe thunderstorms with hail up to the size of a golf ball and wind gusts of 90 km/h.
“Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year,” the warning reads. “Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!
Severe thunderstorm watch alerts
The following regions and communities are under severe thunderstorm watch.
- In Ontario: Bayfield Inlet – Dunchurch, South River – Burk’s Falls, Chapleau-Missinaibi Lake, Gogama – Foleyet, Elliot Lake – Ranger Lake, Greater Sudbury and vicinity, Bruce Peninsula – Sauble Beach – Tobermory, Hanover – Dundalk – Southern Grey County, Owen Sound – Blue Mountains – Northern Grey County, Saugeen Shores – Kincardine – Southern Bruce County, Kirkland Lake – Englehart, Temiskaming Shores – Temagami, Blind River – Thessalon, Espanola – Killarney, North Bay – Powassan – Mattawa, West Nipissing – French River, Town of Parry Sound – Rosseau – Killbear Park, Timmins – Cochrane – Iroquois Falls and Mount Forest – Arthur – Northern Wellington County
- In Quebec: Chibougamau, Joutel – Matagami area, Miquelon – Desmaraisville area, Saint-Donat – Mont-Tremblant Park area and Saint-Michel-des-Saints area
Among the potential impacts as storms spread throughout the vast swath of eastern Canada are hot and humid temperatures, feeling like up to 33 C, with possible wind gusts of up to 110 km/h and hail up to a golf ball in size.
What to expect
At present, major cities including Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City remain just outside the boundaries of alerts, though CTV Your Morning meteorologist Kelsey McEwen notes that risk of severe storms could extend beyond their current area.
Storms are expected to be intermittent as they move through the Great Lakes region, and may affect Toronto and Montreal later in the day, though with comparatively less risk. They may reach Atlantic Canada by Friday, McEwen notes.
This is a developing story. More to come.