Brief Tornado Warnings Issued North of GTA Amid Thunderstorms in Ontario

evere thunderstorms swept through southern Ontario on Wednesday, triggering multiple weather advisories, including tornado warnings that were issued throughout the day.

Environment Canada meteorologists monitored thunderstorms north of the Greater Toronto Area, which had the potential to produce tornadoes.

The tornado warnings, affecting areas such as Newmarket, Georgina, and northern York Region, alerted residents to a “dangerous and potentially life-threatening situation.”

“Damaging winds, large hail, and locally intense rainfall” were also possible, according to the national weather agency. The warnings were lifted within about half an hour.

Elsewhere, a severe thunderstorm watch was in effect for most of the day for Toronto and other parts of the province.

The watch also extended across the GTA and areas further north, including Barrie and cottage country. As of 10:30 p.m., weather alerts for Toronto had been lifted, but some areas in York and Durham regions remained under a severe thunderstorm watch.

Conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail, and heavy rain,” the national weather agency stated in its latest evening advisory.

Environment Canada warned of wind gusts up to 100 km/h and “toonie-sized hail,” with a risk of a tornado.

“Thunderstorms will continue this evening but should gradually weaken as the evening progresses. The main threats will be strong winds and hail; however, a tornado remains possible,” the national weather agency noted.

For Wednesday, the forecast in Toronto is sunny, with a high of 25°C.