Update – The severe thunderstorm warning has ended.
Update at 4:33 p.m. – Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a dangerous thunderstorm capable of producing damaging wind gusts and up to golf ball size hail.
This cluster of severe thunderstorms is over southwestern Ontario, moving east at 40 km/h.
Hazard: Lime size hail and 120 km/h wind gusts. A tornado is also possible.
Locations impacted include:
Windsor, Leamington, Chatham, Rodney, Tecumseh, Kingsville, Belle River, Lakeshore, Wheatley Provincial Park, Tilbury, Blenheim, Rondeau Provincial Park, Ridgetown, John E. Pearce Provincial Park, Shedden, South Windsor, McGregor, Windsor Airport, Harrow and Maidstone.
Very large hail can damage property, break windows, dent vehicles and cause serious injury. Very strong wind gusts can damage buildings, down trees and blow large vehicles off the road. Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes.
Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!
Emergency Management Ontario recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.
Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
Update at 3:57 p.m. – A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued in Chatham-Kent. Details, below:
At 3:57 p.m. EDT, Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a cluster of dangerous thunderstorms capable of producing very strong wind gusts and up to golf ball size hail.
This cluster of severe thunderstorms is over southwestern Ontario, moving east at 40 km/h.
Hazard: Golf ball size hail and 110 km/h wind gusts. A tornado is also possible.
Locations impacted include:
Sarnia, Chatham, Petrolia, Forest, Belle River, Lakeshore, Tilbury, Wallaceburg, Oil Springs, Blenheim, Cottam, Stoney Point, Comber, Walpole Island, Port Lambton, Sombra, Courtright, Wheatley, Lighthouse Cove and Corunna.
Very large hail can damage property, break windows, dent vehicles and cause serious injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles.
Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!
Emergency Management Ontario recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.
Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
To report severe weather in Ontario, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.
For more information: https://www.ontario.ca/page/be-prepared-emergency.
Original story: A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued in Chatham-Kent, as conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms this afternoon into early this evening.
“This has the potential to be a highly significant severe weather situation,” Environment Canada officials stated at 12:20 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, 2023.
Forecasters say hazards, include: Damaging wind gusts up to 110 km/h, large hail up to golf ball size, locally heavy rainfall and tornadoes are possible.
Environment Canada says the timing is this afternoon into early evening.
“A significant severe weather situation is possible beginning this afternoon and continuing into early evening,” forecasters say.
“A line of severe thunderstorms capable of damaging wind gusts originating in Michigan is expected to cross the area. Any thunderstorms that form ahead of this line will also be capable of very large hail. The threat for tornadoes also exists.”
Environment Canada officials added: “The threat of severe thunderstorms will diminish with the passage of the front this evening. A tornado watch may be issued as required.”
Very large hail can damage property, break windows, dent vehicles and cause serious injury, forecasters say.
Very strong wind gusts can damage buildings, down trees and blow large vehicles off the road, forecasters added.
“Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes, ” Environment Canada officials say.
“Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors. Emergency Management Ontario recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches. Severe thunderstorm watches are issued when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.”
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.
To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.
For more information: https://www.ontario.ca/page/be-prepared-emergency.
This story will be updated.
