Heat alert extended

The extreme heat alert has been extended in Toronto as temperatures are expected to hit a scorching 34 C today, feeling more like 40 C with humidity.

This is the fourth day in a row that the city has been under an extreme heat alert.

To make matters worse, the city hasn’t seen substantial rainfall since July 3. There were light showers Friday night but it was “just a sprinkle” — not even enough to measure, according to Tony Cham, a meteorologist at Environment Canada.

Since the start of July, Toronto has seen only 4.4 mm of rain when the norm for this time of the year is about 74.4 mm.

The driest July ever was set in 1957 with 11.4 mm of rain.

Cham says it is hard to predict whether Toronto will break the record this year since there are still nine days left until the end of the month.

But relief may be in sight.

There is a 30 per cent chance of showers Saturday evening and a 60 per cent chance of rain Sunday night into Monday morning.

“There’s still some hope,” Cham said.

Meanwhile, to cope with the extreme heat, the city has opened cooling centres across Toronto and some city pools may extend their operating hours.

Much of the United States and Canada are trapped under a heat “dome” caused by a huge area of high pressure that’s compressing hot, moist air beneath it and keeping the jet stream well to the north.

This high-pressure system is leading to scorching temperatures like the ones Toronto saw Thursday when the mercury hit a sweltering 37.9 C, the highest July day temperature ever recorded at Pearson airport but just shy of the 38.3 C record set on August 25, 1948.

The smog that sometimes accompanies hot weather is nowhere to be seen, though. The city’s only had one smog day this summer. In 2005 — a similar year temperature-wise — there were 20 by this time.

There have been fewer smog days partly because of improved air quality, said Kate Jordan, a spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Environment.

In the past eight years, the province has seen reductions in fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide — the two main ingredients in smog, Jordan said. But weather also plays a role. “While we’ve had really warm and sunny weather, we haven’t had stagnant air pressure and the hazy conditions,” she said.

This is because the winds blowing through Toronto are not coming from the south, which typically brings in dirtier air and higher humidity, she adds.

 

No end in sight for scorching heat

Cameron Edgerton, 4, of Blackstock Ont., enjoys the cool waters and the sand of Lake Ontario at Lakeview Park in Oshawa on Monday. (VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR)

The city of Toronto lifted the summer’s third heat alert which went into effect on July 16. But don’t be fooled: the dreaded humidex advisory is still on and the temperatures are still high.

On Sunday, Torontonians saw the mercury climb to 34.6 C with a UV index of 10 (very high), setting a new record over the previous record of 34.4 C set in 2002.

The normal temperature for this time of year is 27 C, according to Environment Canada.

The rain trickling on the city on Monday morning from an incoming weak cold front won’t do much to cool the temperatures, says David Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada.

“We’re being hit by double whammies here,” says Phillips. “The heat is high and the humidity is too — but where is the precipitation?”

The temperature will be in the 30s range all week, reaching a predicted high of 37 C on Thursday.

“We’re clearly going to break records on individual days,” says Phillips.

He emphasizes that these temperatures are all in the shade and that they are 6 or 7 degrees higher under the sun, without even accounting for the humidex.

The entire region seems to be sizzling under the sun. The American Midwest was also hit by a wave of scorching heat, with forecasters predicting temperatures exceeding 46 C in some parts.

There’s a high pressure area parked right over the Midwest, says Phillips, and that only spells out more heat for us. “The system is gradually going to move on top of us,” he says.

As the days get warmer, residents should keep an eye on the city’s air quality. Environment Canada lists the air quality index at a level 4, or moderate risk, and forecasts an upgrade to a level 5, still within the moderate risk range.

It may be hot now, but Phillips warns that the real sizzling is still to come.

“We still have another week to go before we reach the dog days of summer,” he says.

-- Sarah-Taissir Bencharif, Staff Reporter

Joey Edgerton, 9 , and Cameron, 4, play in the water at Lakeview Park in Oshawa on Monday. (VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR)

Joey and his brother Keegan , 7, Edgerton also try to stay cool. (VINCE TALOTTA/TORONTO STAR)

Smog alert issued for southern Ontario

Much of southern Ontario, including Toronto, has been issued a smog alert.

Environment Canada predicts Saturday’s air quality index will exceed 50, which is the threshold for a poor rating.

The partly sunny and hot conditions across the region will combine with pollutants to generate smog, the agency said.

Environment Canada recommends avoiding unnecessary vehicle trips and limiting the use of gas-powered machines such as lawn mowers.

Strenuous outdoor activities could cause coughing or shortness of breath, the agency warns.

Saturday’s daytime high is listed as 29 C, and the UV index is 10, or very high. The forecast called for a 30 per cent chance of showers and the risk of a thunderstorm late in the afternoon.

There’s a chance for more rain this evening, but the weather should clear overnight, with a low of 21 C.

Both pollution levels and the humidex are expected to improve Sunday after a weak cold front rolls in.

Environment Canada predicts Sunday in Toronto will be sunny, with a north wind blowing in late in the afternoon. The daytime high is 29 C.

Humidex advisory in effect for Tuesday and Wednesday

Environment Canada has issued a humidex advisory for the city of Toronto for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The humidex is an index that combines the temperature and humidity into one number to describe how hot the weather feels to the average person.

Environment Canada says that the humidex is particularly significant when its value is greater than 30. Tuesday’s humidex peaked at 38.

Tuesday’s high was 29 C, falling to 21 C overnight, while Wednesday is expected to be sunny with a high of 34 C.

If Wednesday’s temperature reaches its expected high, a record will be set. Phillips said the current record for June 8 is 32.2 C, set in both 1950 and 1959.

The weather on June 8 last year was 20.3 C.

Dave Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada, said that Wednesday’s humidex could be as high as 42 or 43. The UV index will be 9 or very high. Phillips expects the “triple H” — heat, humidity and haze.

Environment Canada warns that a high humidex can lead to health problems such as cramps, exhaustion and heat stroke. They advise people to drink a lot of water, avoid working or exercising intensely outside if possible, and take frequent breaks if necessary.

Environment Canada also reminds people to take special care to ensure that pets have plenty of water, are well-protected from the heat, and are not left in hot cars.

Phillips said that Wednesday will probably be the hottest day of the year so far.

“Get used to it,” said Phillips. “We think there’ll be more of these kinds of days.”

Warmer, drier summer forecast for Toronto

Remember last summer? Well, this summer isn't shaping up to be quite as perfect, with the possibility of more smog days.(THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)

Last summer was “the summer of summers,” according to Environment Canada’s Dave Phillips. But while this year’s forecast looks promising, it might not live up to last year’s sunshine and smog-free days.

Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada, offered a prediction that this June, July and August will be warmer than most summers – welcome news after this spring’s dreary weather.

This summer looks like it could have less than normal precipitation, meaning there could be more smog days, Phillips said.

Last summer included eight smog days, much fewer than the average 18 to 20 smog days usually seen each year.

Toronto will definitely see some severe weather but that’s part of a normal summer as well, he said.

“That’s a given. We just don’t know how much and exactly the timing of it,” Phillips said.

Phillips cautioned that this prediction is still preliminary, but it looks like last year’s summer will be hard – but not impossible – to beat.

“I think when you look at last summer, there was so much about it that was good. It was warmer, which we needed. It was wetter, which never gets you into problems especially if it occurs at night. The air quality was good. The number of severe events was down.”

The official forecast will be released on June 1.

--Aleysha Haniff, Staff Reporter

Volcano cuts short Obama's Indonesia visit

Soldiers and rescue workers transported by a military vehicle searching for more victims in Kalitengah village in the Sleman district of Indonesia's central Java province Nov. 10, 2010. REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas

MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia — Indonesia's most volatile volcano spewed clouds of ash high into the sky Wednesday, forcing some international airlines to again cancel flights and President Barack Obama to cut short his visit.

The official death toll, meanwhile, climbed by more than 40 to 191.

A rise of 2 degrees poses huge risks for Canada: study

Canada’s Arctic sea ice might be halved, runoff in the Saskatchewan River basin would be reduced, and shipping through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway could cost more, according to a report on climate change released in Ottawa.

Described as the first ever comprehensive illustration of expected climate change in Canada, the report is a joint project of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

The research is covered in depth on the website of the roundtable, as well as in the October issue of Canadian Geographic, which features a wide range of articles on climate change’s effect on Canadian resources, Halifax’s rising harbour, and the impact on global warming on health care.

Also available is a detailed poster/map that looks at what would happen to Canada if the temperature increases between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius.

Other changes facing Canada if temperature increase could include: Western mountain glaciers losing 50 per cent of their volume; exposure to vector borne diseases, more deaths from heat waves; loss of boreal forest and tundra; compromised water quality; more deaths from poor air quality; polar bear subpopulations at risk of extinction; and more water-borne disease outbreaks.

Average world temperatures are now up 0.78 degrees C compared to before the industrial revolution over a century ago.

The United Nations climate-change summit in Copenhagen last December ended with a non-binding document that limited world temperature increases to no more than 2 degrees C.

Debra Black, Staff Reporter

The upside of all this humidity? Younger-looking skin

If you’re coming into work this morning looking like you came from the gym and not just off the GO train – flushed skin, frizzed hair and sweating buckets all around – blame the humidity.

Environment Canada’s humidity reading at Pearson International Airport at 7 a.m. was at a whopping 98 per cent – meaning that Toronto was at a near saturation point this morning as to the amount of water vapour the air could contain.

“It’s very humid out. It’s about as humid as you can get in Toronto. You might as well be in a fog,” says Environment Canada’s senior climatologist Dave Phillips.

The result, even from just a few exposed moments trave;ling from your air-conditioned house to your air-conditioned workplace, can be an uncomfortable feeling of sweat, frizzed-out hair, flushed skin, irritability, and even bloating.

And Phillips says that it’s definitely a more humid summer than the summer of 2009 – by a lot.

“It’s like night and day compared to last year,” he says.

Phillips says that between Canada Day and now, we’ve experienced 23 days where the Humidex (a combined reading of both the temperature and humidity to determine perceived temperature) was over 35, compared to just 3 days during the same time last year. There have been 9 days where the Humidex was over 40, an unsafe level, up from 2 days last year.

“But the good thing about this summer is that we haven’t had the haze. We’ve had heat and humidity, but not the haze. It’s been healthy (this year) for air quality,” Phillips adds.

The sky-rocketing humidity in Toronto currently at near-saturation point could pose a health risk, as with any other extreme weather measurement, Environment Canada warns.

“The effect on humans on our health is almost all bad when it comes to humidity. The higher the humidity, the more uncomfortable it is,” Phillips says.

Phillips warns though, that humidity readings shouldn’t be taken at face value and the “relative” part in relative humidity is important.

“Warmer air can hold more moisture than the colder air. When you raise the temperature, the relative humidity will go down,” he says.

A temperature of 22 degrees for example can hold about 8 grams of water for every cubic metre. That means if the relative humidity reading was listed at 50 per cent, the air would only be holding 4 grams of water per cubic metre. As the air temperature rises and is able to hold more water in the air, the relative humidity reading will drop numerically, even though the amount of water in the air has stayed the same (at 4 grams).

That means as the temperature rises this afternoon to a high of 28 C according to Environment Canada, the amount of water in the air will stay the same, but the air will feel drier, less moist and more comfortable.

The only possible upside to humid weather in Toronto? Better skin.

Phillips points out that Calgary residents age quicker and have more chapped skin than Torontonians because of their drier weather.

“We may be sweating buckets, but at least our skin is soft,” says Phillips.

Phillips says that although Environment Canada does not have forecasts for humidity, he says judging by the weekend temperature forecasts of near 30 C, “we can be guaranteed it’s humid air. You’re not going to get desert air with those temperatures and with night-time lows of 21 degrees and 19 degrees.”

-- Jasmeet Sidhu, Staff Reporter

Offices close as smoke chokes Moscow

Tourists walk along Moscow's Red Square in heavy smog caused by peat fires in nearby forests on Aug. 6, 2010. REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin

Dense clouds of acrid smoke from peat and forest fires choked Russia’s capital on Friday, seeping into homes and offices, forcing planes to divert and obliging residents to wear surgical masks on their faces.

Air pollution surged to five times normal levels in the city of 10.5 million, the highest sustained  contamination since Russia’s worst heatwave in over a century began a month ago. 

Officials urged Muscovites to not venture outdoors because of the dangerous levels of carbon monoxide and fine particles in the air. Weather forecasts said the smoke, which has reached even underground metro stations, would stay until Monday.

Looking across Red Square on Friday, dense smoke shrouded the famous onion domes of St Basil’s cathedral and the Kremlin spires. NASA satellite images showed a 3,000 km-long smoke cloud covering large swathes of European Russia.

The deadliest wildfires in nearly four decades have killed at least 52 people and left thousands homeless as entire villages of wooden homes burned down, official figures say.

However the true toll from the smoke and heatwave may be much higher. Interfax news agency quoted an “informed source” on Friday saying death rates in Moscow surged nearly 30 per cent in July because of the “disastrous heat and smoke cloud”.

--Reuters news Agency

The Kremlin wall is seen through heavy smog on Aug. 6, 2010. REUTERS/Alexander Natruskin
A woman wears a mask to protect herself from the smell of heavy smog, caused by peat fires in nearby forests, as she walks in central Moscow, August 6, 2010. REUTERS/Mikhail Voskresensky

Smog blankets Moscow during record heat

People walk along Red Square in Moscow with St. Basil's Cathedral seen through heavy smog caused by peat fires in nearby forests on July 26, 2010. Muscovites struggled to breathe on Monday and Red Square was blanketed in smoke as a record-setting heatwave that that has already ruined crops caused fires that set the area around the capital ablaze. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Moscow sweltered on Monday through its hottest day since records began 130 years ago, as temperatures hit 37.4 C, sparking peat fires that blanketed the city in smog. A heatwave has engulfed central parts of European Russia, and Siberia since June, destroying crops covering an area the size of Portugal.

Moscow's Novodevichyi Monastery is seen through a fog in downtown on Monday, July 26, 2010.  (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze)