Heat warning in effect for Toronto as humidex approaches 40 

Toronto has been put under a 'heat warning' on the first day of the fall, which once again highlights the freakish weather condition continued throughout the winter and summer.

Roving Correspondent, Torontobdnews24.com
Published : 23 Sept 2017, 09:20 PM
Updated : 23 Sept 2017, 09:44 PM

Earlier, at the end of the winter season on Jun 13, the Toronto city authorities had to open several 'cooling centres' across the city to help resident avoid heat-related illnesses.

The summer officially begins on Jun 21 and ends on Sept 22.

The heat warning came from the Environment Canada just minutes before the end of Summer season and the beginning of the fall. Fall officially began at 4pm on Friday.

This was the first heat warning of the summer. 

An alert advises people of "extreme heat," with the humidex making it feel close to 40 this weekend, meteorologists said, according to the weather network.

"That means added risks to young children, pregnant women, older adults and those working outdoors."

"The unseasonably warm temperatures are expected to continue into next week," the weather agency says.

The temperature reached a forecasted high of 27 degrees Celsius on Friday with the 'humidex' making it feel like 30 degrees Celsius.

It will continue to rise on Saturday and Sunday, the met officials said.

The humidex or humidity index is used by Canadian meteorologists to describe how hot the weather feels to the average person, by combining the effect of heat and humidity.

The forecast says the mercury is expected to climb even higher into the weekend with Saturday's high expected to be 31 C, Sunday's 32 C and Monday's 30, all with sunny skies.

A heat warning is issued when very high temperatures or humidity could bring a heightened risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke or exhaustion.

There have been just three other heat alerts in 2017 — on June 11, June 12 and June 17 — all before the official start of summer.

Friday's heat warning is the latest into the season Toronto has seen since 2001. The latest alert the city saw previously came on Sept 11, 2013.

Both the winter and summer seasons were less severe in 2017 in Canada.