Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of Ontario, including our region. There is a risk of nickel-sized hail developing, the alert says, as well as heavy rainfall.
Full text of the Environment Canada alert follows:
Severe thunderstorm watch in effect for:
- Halton - Peel
- Guelph - Erin - Southern Wellington County
- Kitchener - Cambridge - Region of Waterloo
- York - Durham
Conditions are favourable for the development of dangerous thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, damaging hail and heavy rain.
Hazards:
Nickel size hail.
Wind gusts up to 90 km/h.
Heavy rainfall amounts approaching 40 mm.
Timing:
Late this morning into this afternoon.
Discussion:
A line of thunderstorms is expected to continue tracking southeast today while strengthening.
The primary threat with these thunderstorms is large hail.
This line is expected to move out of the area this afternoon.
Very large hail can damage property, break windows, dent vehicles and cause serious injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles.
Water-related activities may be unsafe due to violent and sudden gusts of wind over bodies of water.
If you hear thunder, then lightning is close enough to be dangerous.
Emergency Management. Ontario recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches. Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
To report severe weather, send an email or tweet reports using #ONStorm.
For more information, click here
