Potential Heat Wave and Severe Thunderstorm Risk for Canada Day Weekend in Southern Ontario; Humidex Upwards of 40°c on Canada Day!

For many, the Canada Day long weekend signals the unofficial start of summer and it’s definitely going to feel like summer this weekend.

A classic summer heat wave is expected to begin late this week, bringing temperatures in the low to mid thirties and when you factor in the humidex it’ll feel like 35 - 40°c. It’s only expected to get hotter once we get into the weekend with the warmest temperatures we've seen this year so far. On both Saturday and Sunday, the temperatures will range from the mid to upper thirties with the humidex well above the 40°c mark.

Feels Like Temprature (Humidex) on Sunday, July 1st. Courtesy of DarkSky.net.

As usual the hot and humid weather will also be accompanied by a multi-day severe thunderstorm risk extending from Friday to Monday. Long range models are showing significant amounts of potential energy (also referred as CAPE) on those days, but it’s questionable if storms will actually develop and on what day(s). This far out it’s hard to pinpoint who will see what and it’s important to mention that due to the localized nature of thunderstorms, some areas won’t see a drop of rain this weekend. We’ll continue to keep an eye on this and post more precise forecasts as we get closer to the weekend.

By early next week we should get some relief with daytime highs between 25 - 30°c although the humidex will still make it feel like the low to mid thirties. The heat wave will finally end during the middle of next week with temperatures coming back down to near seasonal values of 20-25°c.

With extremely hot weather comes the increased risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Infograph courtesy of spca.bc.ca.

The most important thing that can’t be emphasized enough is DO NOT LEAVE CHILDREN OR PETS UNATTENDED INSIDE VEHICLES!!! It can get dangerously hot inside vehicles in the matter of minutes resulting in significant health problems and eventually, death. If you see an animal or child alone inside a vehicle call 911 immediately!

Here are some safety tips courtesy of the Red Cross:

• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol.
• Avoid extreme temperature changes.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing. Avoid dark colors because they absorb the sun’s rays.
• Slow down, stay indoors and avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest part of the day.
• Postpone outdoor games and activities.
• Use a buddy system when working in excessive heat. Take frequent breaks if working outdoors.
• Check on family, friends and neighbors who do not have air conditioning, who spend much of their time alone or who are more likely to be affected by the heat.
• Check on animals frequently to ensure that they are not suffering from the heat. Make sure they have plenty of cool water.
• If someone doesn’t have air conditioning, they should choose places to go to for relief from the heat during the warmest part of the day (schools, libraries, theaters, malls).

More can be found here: http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-How-to-Stay-Safe-in-Hot-Weather

We'll be updating the potential severe weather threat throughout the week so check in with us for the latest and we'll try our best to narrow things down as we get closer to the weekend!

• Brennen P.