Funnel cloud and flood advisories issued for GTHA, Environment Canada
TORONTO, ON., July 11, 2020 — Today, at 1:28 pm Environment Canada issued advisories for localized flooding and the potential of funnel clouds in and around the GTHA through Saturday afternoon into this evening.
“Conditions will be favourable for the development of funnel clouds today,” reads the Special Weather warning from Environment Canada. In the statement they say funnel clouds have been reported over the Niagara Region late this morning and a waterspout has been reported over Lake Nipissing late this morning.
A flood warning has also been issued for Toronto with heavy rain producing local rainfall rates of 25 to 50 mm per hour. Environment Canada says total rainfall amounts will vary significantly, however local amounts of 50 to 100 mm are possible through Saturday afternoon.
The weather advisory also states that Funnel clouds in rare cases may develop into a landspout tornado, and that more funnel clouds and possible landspouts are possible through early this evening
How does a funnel cloud form?
Funnel clouds are generated by weak rotation under rapidly growing clouds or weak thunderstorms. This weak rotation is normally not a danger near the ground. However, there is a chance that this rotation could intensify and become a weak landspout tornado.
Environment Canada advises that you should treat any funnel cloud sighting seriously. Should a funnel cloud develop nearby, prepare to take shelter. These funnel clouds usually appear with little or no warning.
This double weather advisory follows a nine-day heat warning for Toronto along with power outages and intense devastating flooding earlier this week. Today the heat warning was lifted with an expected daytime high of 26 degrees celsius and a chance of isolated thunderstorms.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@canada.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.
