Thunderstorms expected in Toronto this afternoon

Thunderstorms are in the forecast for Toronto on Tuesday as the city wraps up what has been the wettest July on record.

Environment Canada is calling for a 60 per cent chance of showers this afternoon with a risk of a thunderstorm. Hot and humid conditions will also return, with the national weather agency calling for a high of 28 C, feeling closer to 36 with the humidity.

A handful of intense weather systems this month have created record amounts of rainfall in Toronto for July.

On July 16, the city saw nearly 100 millimetres of rain in a short burst, leading to widespread flooding and power outages across Toronto. Parts of the Don Valley Parkway and Lake Shore Boulevard were shut down after flash floods completely washed out the roadways, stranding a number of motorists.

Dave Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada, told CTV News last week that the city has recorded 208 millimetres of rain since the beginning of July, surpassing a previous rainfall record of 193 millimetres set back in 2008. Typically the city only sees about 76 millimetres of rain during the month, Phillips added.

“The number of days with rain was not high, but the systems seem to be very loaded with moisture,” Phillips said. “We have had more than one weather system with those big gushy wads of rain when typically we would find one every two years.”

With files from Miriam Katawazi