Flooding and power outages were reported across Toronto after a severe storm lashed the city on Wednesday afternoon.
A severe thunderstorm watch, issued around 2 p.m. by Environment Canada, warned that conditions were favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing strong wind gusts and heavy rain.
A tornado watch was also issued by Environment Canada for Toronto.
“Things have been changing quite rapidly and that’s why we escalated it to a tornado watch,” Environment Canada meteorologist Gerald Chang told CP24 at around 3 p.m. “It is moving very quickly but at the same time it’s severe and it’s giving a lot of rain and we are looking at 50 to 70 mm of rain in a very short amount of time.”
“When we’re talking about that rainfall amount, around 80 mm of rain is really the monthly rainfall for Toronto so this is quite significant and it could lead to flash flooding.”
Throughout the afternoon, many residents in the west end of Toronto shared photos and videos of the results of heavy down pours in their area.
Near High Park pic.twitter.com/pUPcoAOAor
— Irene Barbara (@Saffi0851) July 8, 2020
