Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of southern Ontario, warning of the possibility of strong wind, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall on Tuesday.
The advisory stretches from the Windsor area, up to Barrie and northern Durham Region.
“The severe weather threat today is coming from an unusually strong area of low pressure near Lake Superior and a trailing cold front,” Global News meteorologist Anthony Farnell said.
“As the cold front encounters the warm and increasingly humid air across southern Ontario, storms will become severe late today.”
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Severe thunderstorms forecasted for Guelph area, Waterloo Region
Farnell said lines of severe storms formed in Michigan and are moving across Lake Huron Tuesday afternoon.
“Damaging winds and hail along with an isolated tornado threat is likely for areas near Lake Huron,” he said.
He added that the storms will likely hold together as they approach the Greater Toronto Area after sunset.
Farnell said the storms could weaken slightly, but strong wind gusts of up to 90 km/h along with heavy rain will still be possible after 9 p.m.
Damaging winds the primary threat with a line of thunderstorms late this afternoon and evening but large hail, very heavy rain and even an isolated tornado also possible. #onstorm pic.twitter.com/zV4ccmKMse
— Anthony Farnell (@AnthonyFarnell) September 7, 2021
“This could cause tree branches to come down and sporadic power outages,” he said.
“Now is the time to charge your devices and prepare for the storms later this evening.”
Environment Canada said southwestern areas of the province could see wind gusts of up to 110 km/h, hail 2.5 cm in diameter, and also face the risk of a tornado.
Eastern areas under the watch, including the GTA, could see gusts up to 100 km/h and hail 2 cm in diameter, the weather agency said.
Our Chief Meteorologist @AnthonyFarnell is storm chasing this afternoon in southwestern Ontario. Follow his chase on Twitter, and watch for the latest tonight on Global News at 5:30p & 6:00p. #ONstorm @GlobalNewsTO https://t.co/EnlErlhGSu
— Mackay Taggart (@mackaytaggart) September 7, 2021
Severe t-storm watch expanded east to include Toronto/GTA – will have to keep an eye on this line of storms as they move east for possibility of gusty winds/hail arriving after 9 p.m. #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/zhDZkUEMT9
— Ross Hull (@Ross_Hull) September 7, 2021