Tornado warning issued for southern Ontario

Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Toronto briefly Sunday afternoon.

“One particular thunderstorm cluster is now moving, at this moment, southeast at 100 kilometres per hour and producing also very strong gusts, close to 90 km/h,” said meteorologist Sarah Wong during the storm.

That cluster was right over Toronto, with torrential rain drenching the city. Twenty to 40 millimetres rain fell in no more than 15 minutes, Wong said.

The warning was downgraded to a watch shortly after 3:20 p.m.

But the agency has issued a tornado warning for Goderich, Bluewater, Southern Huron County, Stratford, Mitchell and Southern Perth County.

There is a severe thunderstorm over Southern Lake Huron that is moving to the southeast at 75 km/hr. and may develop into a tornado, Environment Canada says.

Meanwhile, much of southern Ontario continues to be under a severe thunderstorm watch, Wong said.

The alert warns of conditions that could lead to severe storms Sunday afternoon and evening.

Wind gusts of up to 90 km/h, hail of up to 2 centimetres in diameter, and heavy downpours are likely in severe thunderstorms, the agency says. Tornadoes are also possible.

None were reported in the GTA, Wong said. However, a potential sighting came in from Gananoque, east of Kingston.

Wong said the storms should clear by no later than 9 p.m. Sunday.

With files from Amanda Kwan

Comments

[Gerry McGowan]

Trees snapped and branches down in a one block area of Bessborough Dr. between Parkhurst and Sharon. Wires also snapped.

[June]

Waaaahoooooooooo, what a storm! It was raining in sideways sheets and visibility was next to nothing. I see the Toronto Fire dept. is out all over the city for hydro wires down, downed trees, flooded basements and boaters being rescued out on the lake.

[Robyn Peterson]

Cosburn and Pape area is blacked out, including traffic lights at main intersection. A tree branch has fallen onto Cosburn on the south side half way between Pape and Donlands. It is off to the side up against the sidewalk. Right now the weather is calm.

[Jason]

I think the Yonge/Davisville/Leaside area got a good brunt of the storm. Branches down on Balliol as well.

[lola]

where exactly is southeast toronto. does that include north york.. don mills and sheppard? :S

[Laura]

Erskine and Eglington was intense! We thought there was a tornado touching down.

[SS]

Branches down all over Yonge Lawrence area as well.

[John]

It's 6:30 and we're still blacked out in the east end. Any updates?

[Dor]

I got sucked out the balcony door. Quite the storm here at Eglinton and Mount Pleasant.

[Michael Brown]

Nothing in south etobicoke but a few drizzles around 6 pm