Storm risk builds over Ontario again Saturday, rotation possible
An active pattern continues to bring waves of storms to Ontario to start the weekend
Ontario won’t catch a break from the active weather to kick off this final weekend of July as forecasters look at multiple zones across the province for renewed storm development.
Folks in southern Ontario will see multiple opportunities for thunderstorms during the day Saturday, a few of which could approach severe limits.
A more organized risk for severe thunderstorms will bloom over northwestern Ontario through Saturday afternoon and evening—where one or two could even develop some rotation.
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Southern Ontario storms arrive in two rounds
Saturday will start with a weak low-pressure system slowly nudging into Ontario from Michigan, though a strong centre of high pressure over Quebec won’t allow the low to advance very far.
A warm front associated with that low-pressure system will slide into southwestern Ontario through the morning hours, potentially triggering some non-severe thunderstorms across the region.
Later in the day, an approaching cold front will help trigger a second round of storms across southern Ontario.
The possibility of severe weather depends on the timing of the cold front—a factor which was still uncertain as of Friday evening. Some models are suggesting that the severe storms could arrive in the late evening into the overnight period.
Greater storm risk covers northwestern Ontario
A better chance for severe thunderstorms will develop across northwestern Ontario through the second half of Saturday.
Severe storms will trigger along the international border and push into Thunder Bay through the afternoon and into the evening.
Farther north, a cold front over far northwestern Ontario will force the development of additional thunderstorms as it cuts into the hot and humid air across the region. These storms will start as clusters before growing into a line along the cold front.
Damaging winds and large hail are possible with any of the severe storms that develop in northwestern Ontario on Saturday.
Conditions will be favourable for one or two of the thunderstorms in northwestern Ontario to develop rotation. Anyone in the region should know what to do and where to go in the event a tornado warning is issued.
Header image courtesy of Brian Fehr.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Ontario.