Tornado watches were issued for the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent region on Wednesday as strong winds and heavy rain escalated in the afternoon.
“A tornado watch is still in effect for the next few hours—and it is likely to remain in place,”said Geoff Coulson a spokesperson at Environment Canada.
The agency issued a tornado watch Wednesday for the Windsor-Essex region following an increase in wind speed and rain. Chatham-Kent, Sarnia and neighbouring cities are also under a thunderstorm and tornado watches.
Strong winds, large hail, and heavy rain are in the forecast and is possibly expected to escalate.
As of 3:30 p.m. a severe rain and thunderstorm watch was in effect for most northwestern and southwestern areas including Halton Region and Kitchener-Waterloo region. However, Toronto and Peel Region are not under any watches.
People are advised to take the necessary precautionary measures to safe guard themselves from the element.
“Lightning is associated with these storms—if you can hear the thunder go in-doors. Stay in a solid shelter for a full 30 minute after the last rumble of thunder to allow the storm to move well away from your location.”
Heavy rainfall started Wednesday afternoon in some places, forcing commuters and motorist to seek shelter and adjust driving.
“There are a number of other areas that have a severe thunderstorm watch in effect,” Coulson said.
“Areas up through London and Kitchener area and currently a warning is effect for the Sarnia-Lambton country area.”
Coulson said late April and early May is normally the timeline for starting to report these kind of weather conditions.
“This is a bit early in the season to be seeing these types of watches and warnings being issued—this can be seen as a foretaste of what is to come for southern Ontario in the coming months,” Coulson said.
Environment Canada also said on their website that a few showers should end late this evening then move to partly cloudy in the GTA and eastern cities.
“At this point in time we are not expecting the heaviest rain to fall in the GTA itself—the rainfall warning are in effect for North York Region, Innisfil and Barrie area.”