Toronto remains under a heat warning this weekend as humidity values are expected to reach the low 40s.
While highs are forecast to hover around the low 30s, it will feel like 40 degrees or more outside. Overnight lows are expected to be in the low to mid 20s.
Environment Canada says relatively cooler temperatures are expected on Monday.
As a result of the heat wave, the City of Toronto has extended the hours of seven city pools until 11:45 p.m. Sunday. These are Alex Duff, Giovanni Caboto, McGregor Park, Monarch Park, Parkway Forest, Smithfield Park and Sunnyside / Gus Ryder.
In addition to city pools, residents cooled off in Lake Ontario on Sunday. (CBC)
Heat warnings have been issued for various parts of Canada, including southern Ontario, southern Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
Monica Vaswani, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said the size of the heat wave, while remarkable, was not unprecedented.
“When we get heat events, it’s basically due to warm air advection, or essentially an area of warm or hot air moving up from the south to the northern parts — the Canadian provinces,” she said. “It’s not unusual to see large tracts of this hot, moist air mass.”
And this probably isn’t the last of the heat, at least not for Ontario, Vaswani said.
“Some indications are that temperatures for the rest of August, apart from next week, may be slightly above normal, so that would mean the potential for further heat before the end of the summer,” she said.
During these extremely hot and humid periods, residents are advised to watch for signs of heat illness such as swelling, cramps, rash, fainting, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
The summer heat continues into autumn
Summer-like conditions are likely to continue into the fall season, Vaswani said.
“Given the trend we’ve seen over the last few years, it really seems like our summers tend to start a little bit later and stick around until at least September, even mid to late September, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see something similar this year,” she said.
Heat warnings are issued when high temperatures or humidity levels are expected to pose a risk of illness, such as heat stroke or heat exhaustion.
Young children, pregnant women, the elderly, those with chronic illnesses or people who work outdoors face the greatest risk, the federal weather agency says.
Keep calm with the following tips, it says:
- Drink plenty of water even before you feel thirsty.
- Check on older family members, friends and neighbors.
- Never leave people or pets in parked vehicles.
- Take breaks in cool places if you work outdoors.
Add Comment