There could be another storm on Toronto’s horizon Thursday after record-setting听winds and intense rain snapped tree branches and sent people running for cover on Tuesday afternoon.听
Tuesday broke and matched city records as one of the warmest, windiest and most humid April days that 海角社区官网has seen in years,听according to Environment Canada.
The day’s strongest wind gusts topped out at 103 km/h, making it the windiest April 29 in Toronto’s recorded history.
The maximum temperature for the day was just over 27 C, making it the warmest April 29 on Environment Canada’s records since 1942.
There was also a humidex of 31, matching humidity records on April 27, 1962 and April 25, 2009 to make it one of the top ten muggiest days in on record in Toronto. The record for the most humid day was set on April 25, 1990 after a humidex of 38 was recorded at Pearson International Airport.
Pretty crazy storm in North York 10-15 minutes ago with debris flying everywhere, probably some 100kmh+ gusts
鈥 Bill Kessel (@BillKessel3)
“There have been days similar to yesterday, but it’s pretty rare to see humidex readings that high in the month of April,” Geoff Coulson, a meteorologist with Environment Canada said on Wednesday.听
April 25, 2009 鈥 which matched Tuesday’s听humidex of 31 鈥 also saw a major thunderstorm and had highest recorded winds of any day in April with gusts of 115 km/h.
The strong winds were also felt around southern Ontario and the Greater 海角社区官网Area, which also caused some power outages throughout the region. On Tuesday afternoon Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath听fell outside City Hall听during the “extremely windy conditions,鈥 according to a statement from her office.
She was taken to hospital with multiple injuries and is undergoing surgery for a broken wrist while an elbow fracture and leg injury are being assessed.
Another woman was seriously injured in 海角社区官网after听a large treen branch fell on her听and a 10-year-old girl听near St. Clair Avenue West and Avenue Road Tuesday afternoon when strong winds were reported. The woman was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
鈥淚t is too early to determine why the tree branch fell,鈥 海角社区官网police told the Star.
海角社区官网and the GTA are expected to see cloudy weather with a 30 per cent chance of showers in the late afternoon. The thunderstorm risk will present itself at this time with a high of 12 C.听
Michelle Mengsu Chang 海角社区官网StThursday at risk of more rain 鈥 and possibly thunder
The wild weather could return on Thursday with showers beginning in the afternoon and continuing overnight alongside strong winds.听
Environment Canada is forecasting a risk of a thunderstorm in the evening that will carry into Friday morning as a low pressure system approaches from the southwest, the agency told the Star on Wednesday morning.听
Unlike Tuesday, which saw humid and hot temperatures, Thursday will bring low, double-digit temperatures around 12 C that will minimize the risk associated with the storm.听Thursday will see more of the unstable conditions that led to Tuesday’s thunderstorm but won’t be of the same calibre, Environment Canada said.听
“We’re not looking at the same levels of low-level moisture and instability, so it is still going to be unstable,” Coulson said. “There is still the chance of a thunderstorm, but the severe type of thunderstorms that we could have encountered yesterday with large hail, damaging bursts of wind and even the risk of a tornado won’t be as likely with this next system.”
Though 海角社区官网and the GTA are forecasted for cooler weather on Thursday, a risk of small hail associated with the heavy rain could present itself. The agency also said areas heading toward the border, like Windsor and Chatham, Ont., could see warmer temperatures which could cause a different outcome with forecasts predicting 10 to 15 millimetres of rain and a high of 21 C.
Environment Canada is encouraging the public to keep themselves updated on possible alerts that could be posted in the future.听
“Just be aware of what is happening,” the agency urged.
Here’s the forecast for the rest of your week
After a cloudy morning, skies will begin to clear Wednesday afternoon and stay clear until about midnight. There will be a high of 12 C and a low of 5 C.听
Thursday will kick off the month of May but those April showers aren’t gone for good yet. The day will be mainly cloudy with a 30 per cent chance of rain beginning in the late afternoon. There will also be an increasing risk of thunderstorms as the day progresses, with a high of 12 C and wind gusts up to 50 km/h. The rain will continue overnight and temperatures will drop slightly to 11 C.听
Temperatures will warm to a high of 15 C on Friday with cloudy skies and a 70 per cent chance of showers. The cloud coverage will continue into the night with a 30 per cent chance of showers and low of 5 C.听
Saturday will kick off the weekend with a mix of sun and cloud, a 30 per cent chance of showers and high of 10 C before dropping to 3 C overnight.听
Sunday will see a mix of sun and cloud and high of 13 C. There will be cloudy periods overnight and a low of 5 C.听
With files from Sebastian Bron, Elissa Mendes and Vanessa Tiberio
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