A runner cools off at a misting station in Vancouver on July 7, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
Heavy rainfall is expected in parts of southern Ontario and Quebec as Environment Canada warns remnants of Hurricane Beryl could cause downpours starting late Tuesday or Wednesday.
The weather agency warned of possible flash flooding in affected areas.
Environment Canada meteorologist Trudy Kidd said it’s hard to predict the exact track of the weather system caused by Hurricane Beryl, but stressed it could lead to significant rainfall.
“We’re expecting the remnants of Hurricane Beryl to begin impacting Southern Ontario overnight tonight,” she said on Tuesday morning.
“Then later (Wednesday) morning, like 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., give or take, we’ll expect to see rain in the GTA and then by the afternoon we’ll see rain in eastern Ontario.”
Kidd said heavy rain expected on Wednesday will continue for most areas overnight, possibly into Thursday.
“We’re also expecting a risk of thunderstorms along with this system. So any areas that receive thunderstorms or multiple thunderstorms or really slow moving thunderstorms could really see quite high rainfall amounts,” she said.
Meanwhile, a blistering heat wave is moving across Western Canada, pushing record temperatures and the threat of wildfires into Saskatchewan.
Environment Canada meteorologist Jennifer Smith said a ridge of high pressure from Northern California crept into British Columbia on the weekend before invading the Northwest Territories and Alberta on Monday.
She said the heat will travel into Manitoba by Wednesday and may reach the edge of the northwestern Ontario border before it moves south into the United States again.
Smith said they’re watching for things that lead to wildfires: hot and dry conditions, wind and lightning without rain, something that is in the forecast already for parts of B.C.
A separate heat wave sent temperatures into the 30s in Atlantic Canada and parts of Ontario during the day on Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2024.
