Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Toronto and the GTA ahead of a Canada Day weekend heat wave.
The weather agency says that showers and thunderstorms forecast for Wednesday will be followed by a “persistent southwest flow” that will bring hot and humid air from the Gulf of Mexico to much of southern Ontario.
Environment Canada says that the region will see daytime highs in the low to mid 30’s beginning on Friday, with humidex values that are likely to reach the mid 40s.
“There is still uncertainty regarding when the heat event will come to an end. Current indications suggest the heat could persist into the middle of next week,” the special weather statement says. “This will likely be the most significant heat event of the season thus far.”
Right now, Environment Canada is forecasting highs of 36 C on both Saturday and Sunday, which would break 54 and 55-year-old records, respectively.
The weather agency says that temperatures will also remain high overnight with lows in the mid-20s that will “provide little or no relief from the heat.”
A heat wave is usually defined as three consecutive days of temperatures in excess of 32 C.
Right now, the temperature is forecast to reach that threshold on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
