One down and four more days of intense heat to go. That’s what Guelph and area has in store over the weekend and into next week, as the hot, dry summer continues to bake a large area of North America. An Environment Canada heat warning is in effect.
“The air is so thick you can cut it with a knife,” Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips said Friday, speaking of the humidity that is accompanying the heat.
The temperature soared to 33C in Guelph Friday, but the humidex values made it feel like as much as 38C outside, he said.
What is making the weather so stifling, and so hard on people, he said, is the evening temperatures. They are not going down enough to offer relief from the humidity.
The combination of high daytime and nighttime temperatures is why a heat warning is in effect for Guelph and area. Any combination of 31C or higher in the day, and 20C or more at night is warning time. Most of southern Ontario is under a warning.
Taking into account the combination of day and night temperatures, Friday was measuring up to be the hottest day of the summer so far in Guelph. Toronto reached 36C.
“We are seeing torrid conditions, with five days consecutively of 30 degrees or more,” Phillips said. “And it is not going to end on a cool note. It will only fall to around 28C on both Tuesday and Wednesday.”
Greater numbers of people are seeking respite from the hot summer conditions at Grand River Conservation Authority parks, and that trend continues this week. There were a number of swimmers, kayakers, and windsurfers on Guelph Lake in the early afternoon Friday.
Conditions will be stifling for the thousands that turn out for the Hillside Festival on Guelph Lake Island on the weekend. Sun protection will be a must.
GRCA spokesperson Lisa Stocco said Friday that the hot, dry start to summer has boosted attendance at the agency’s parks significantly. Revenue at the parks as of July 3 had reached $3.34 million, an increase of $440,000 over the same period last year.
Chuck Ferguson is manager of corporate communications for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health. He said in an email that when Environment Canada issues a heat warning, public health alerts community partners, including daycares and long-term care homes, to prepare and protect individuals who may be vulnerable to heat.
“We also contact the municipalities including the City of Guelph so they can implement their plan and advise residents of risks and places where they can go to cool off,” he said. Visit http://guelph.ca/2016/07/heat-warning-issued-city-guelph/ to learn about those measures.
Public health advises the public to prepare for heat in advance, and to follow local weather forecasts and alerts so as to take additional care. It is a good idea to visit vulnerable neighbours, friends and family member to ensure they are keeping cool and hydrated.
When heat and humidity strike, it is important to find ways to stay cool before the hot weather starts. When it does hit, find air-conditioned places close by to cool off for a few hours. Of course, stay hydrated, and stay out of the sun. At home, close awnings, curtains and blinds. Strenuous exercise should be carried out in early morning or in the evening. And never leave people or pets in a parked car or in direct sunlight.
And number of sub-watersheds within the GRCA’s zone are at Level 2, which calls for a 20 per cent reduction in consumption on the part of municipalities. The southern part of the watershed remains very dry, and rain that has fallen within the system lately has mostly been absorbed by the very dry soil, and has not recharged water levels. Flows are being maintained by discharges from reservoirs on the Grand River, and from Guelph Lake through the Speed River.
Residents are urged to limit lawn watering and other outdoor water uses.
Phillips said Guelph has not seen five consecutive days of 30-plus temperatures for some time. The current weather, he added, is Florida-like, with around-the-clock heat. That makes the conditions much more challenging in terms of human health.
“The body is having to deal with 24-hours of humidity,” he said. “It is very uncomfortable.”
So far in this hot season there have been 15 days over 30C. By this time last year there were only four between May and July. And it has been very dry. Through June and July there has only been 75 mm of precipitation. The norm is 152 mm.
“It’s a strange thing to say, but we’ve almost had too much summer,” Phillips added.
Today, Environment Canada issued another heat warning. The full text of that warning follows.
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Heat Warning in effect for:
- Guelph - Erin - Southern Wellington County
- Kitchener - Cambridge - Region of Waterloo
- Mount Forest - Arthur - Northern Wellington County
The mid summer heat episode will continue today with temperatures once again soaring at least into the low thirties this afternoon. Afternoon humidex values will be in the mid to upper thirties in a somewhat less humid airmass.
As a result of the less humid airmass in place today, temperatures tonight will likely drop to the upper teens in most areas, providing some relief from the heat. As a result, the heat warning may be ended tonight, with temperatures Sunday and next week remaining quite warm, but just below the heat warning threshold.
Frequently visit neighbours, friends and older family members, especially those who are chronically ill, to make sure that they are cool and hydrated.
Never leave people or pets in your care inside a parked vehicle or in direct sunlight.
Take cool showers or baths until you feel refreshed.
Prepare meals that don't need to be cooked in your oven.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to [email protected] or tweet reports to #ONStorm.
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