Heat wave moving through southern Ontario
A heat warning is now in effect for Toronto and parts of the Greater Toronto Area, as the air quality in the region deteriorates.
At around 2 p.m., Environment Canada said a two-day heat wave will start Thursday, with daytime temperatures expected to be near 30 C today through Friday.
Overnight temperatures in Toronto are expected to be around the high teens tomorrow night, which the federal agency says can offer some relief from the blistering heat.
Max temperatures can reach as high as 31 C with minimum temperatures settling at around 17 C during this time.
The heat warning impacts southern parts of the province – including Hamilton, Vaughan, Pickering, Halton and Peel regions – and most of northeastern Ontario.
On Wednesday morning, at around 10:15 a.m., Environment Canada issued a special air quality statement, saying the air quality could pose a moderate risk to people in the area with the potential of increasing to high risk later in the day. Just before 10 p.m., the air quality statement ended.
The federal agency says the "hot and humid weather conditions" can lead to elevated levels of air pollution.
The statement is in effect for Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Halton Hills, Milton, Burlington, Oakville, Pickering, Oshawa, Newmarket Georgina, southern Durham Region and northern York Region.
In Toronto, Environment Canada says it is currently 27 C and can hit a high of 30 C, though it will be slightly cooler near Lake Ontario at a high of 22 C.
Some people may experience symptoms like increased coughing, throat irritation, headaches, or shortness of breath due to the air quality. Seniors, children, and those with cardiovascular or lung disease, like asthma, are “especially” at risk, Environment Canada says.
Anyone experiencing symptoms is encouraged to cut their time outside or reschedule strenuous outdoor activities until the special air quality statement is lifted.
“Stay inside if you have breathing difficulties,” the weather agency said in its statement, adding using an air conditioner that cools and filters air may help.
Opening the windows in your home may also let in more polluted air, Environment Canada said.
Northern parts of Ontario are currently experiencing a heat wave, with heat warnings in effect as temperatures are expected to hit a maximum of 32 C.
Despite the current heat, the Weather Network says Canada’s summer forecast is expected to be cooler compared to the last few years.
For most of Ontario, a “changeable summer” is expected, Weather Network said, with hot weather periods cooling off with frequent cold fronts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.