The heat wave that has been sweeping across Quebec and Ontario for the past few days shows no signs of letting up—and it continues to spread eastward.
On Thursday, most of Quebec remains under a heat warning from Environment Canada. The situation is similar in Ontario, while warnings have now been extended to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
In southern Quebec, temperatures are expected to once again exceed 30 degrees Celsius on Thursday and Friday, with a heat index of over 40. On Wednesday afternoon, the humidex reached 44 in Montreal and 42 in Quebec City.
Regions further north will not be spared, as Environment Canada warnings indicate that temperatures could hover around 30 degrees Celsius, with humidex values ranging from 35 to 40.
Temperatures and humidity will begin to drop only starting Saturday morning, according to the federal agency.
Ontario is under similar warnings from Environment Canada. In the Maritimes, residents of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia should also expect to feel the effects of the heat.
On Wednesday, the combination of heat and humidity triggered severe thunderstorms, which in turn caused power outages. A tornado watch was even in effect for a few minutes in southwestern Quebec.
In Ottawa, the inclement weather forced the cancellation of the Canada Day evening show. On Wednesday, Environment Canada reported that approximately 110 millimeters of rain had fallen at the capital’s airport.
This intense heat wave comes as Toronto prepares to host its sixth and final FIFA World Cup match on Thursday—a Round of 16 match between Portugal and Croatia.
The City of Toronto has already announced that the public viewing of the match, scheduled to take place at Nathan Phillips Square in front of City Hall, has been canceled due to extreme heat warnings.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
