Severe summer weather

When planning your daily activities, it is important to be prepared for severe weather. Summer weather has a tendency to be more volatile than other seasons. It can be less predictable, with less lead time for preparedness. It is always a better idea to plan ahead.

Tips on preparing for severe summer weather

Don’t wait for a storm to hit. Begin preparing now and you will be positioned to react quickly when a storm is forecast. Make sure your Home Emergency Survival Kit is stocked, ready, and in a place where you can easily access it.
Pay close attention to the weather. Some types of nasty summer weather can develop very quickly with little warning, so be sure to regularly check weather forecasts on trusted sources including media outlets, smartphone apps, or the internet. Alternatively, visit Environment Canada’s Weather Office website.
Factor the weather into your daily plans. If you schedule outside work or outside recreational activities, be especially aware of forecasts of severe weather that could be hazardous to you, employees, children or even pets. Have a plan of where to go if severe weather is in the forecast.
When a storm is on the way, secure your outdoor property and physical belongings. If possible, move items indoors or secure them tightly to help ensure they don’t blow away. Stay away from windows until the storm has subsided.
Respect the potentially destructive power of the weather. When severe weather is forecast for your area, keep a close eye on the sky and be prepared to take cover if threatening weather approaches. If you need to take shelter, ensure you stay in that shelter until the weather has calmed and the danger has passed. This is no time for recreational weather-watching or taking photos/videos to post on social media.
Remember that after-storm conditions can also pose hazards. After a severe storm has passed, use special care when you leave your shelter. There may be downed electrical wires, broken trees, and dangerous debris around your property and in the streets. Be extremely cautious if you decide to tackle tree removal yourself. Better yet, leave it to the professionals!

Special weather statements

A Special Weather Statement means actual or expected weather conditions may cause general inconvenience or concern, but do not pose a serious enough threat to warrant a weather warning.

The Special Weather Statement may also be used when conditions show signs of becoming favourable for severe weather when the situation is not definite enough or too far in the future to justify a warning.

Severe thunderstorms

A Watch is issued when conditions are likely for the development of thunderstorms, some of which may become severe thunderstorms with large hail, heavy rain, deadly lightning or damaging winds, and possibly tornadoes within the areas and times specified in the watch. You should use this time to secure loose objects, shelter animals, ensure family members or coworkers are prepared to take action and listen carefully for an updated weather report. This is the time to develop a plan.

A Warning is issued when a severe storm has developed, producing one or more of the following conditions: flooding rain, destructive winds with gusts greater than 90 km/hr, hail of at least 20 mm in diameter (the size of a nickel) or intense lightning. Severe thunderstorms may also produce tornadoes. The storm’s expected motion and developments will be given in the warning. If you are in the area specified, be prepared to take shelter.a

Tornadoes

A Watch is issued when severe thunderstorms have developed and there is the possibility of one or more tornadoes developing within the areas and times specified in the watch. Be prepared to take action if a warning is issued.

A Warning is issued when one or more tornadoes are occurring in the area specified or detected on Doppler radar. The expected motion, development, and duration of the tornado will be given in the warning. You should take immediate action to get to a safe location.

Rainfall

A Warning is issued when heavy or prolonged rainfall is sufficient to cause local or widespread flooding or flash floods. A Rainfall Warning for longer duration rain (50mm or more in 24 hours or less) may often times be preceded by a Special Weather Statement. For Flash Flood type Events (50mm or more in 1 hour or less), Severe Thunderstorm Watches and Warnings will often be issued making special mention of the thunderstorms’ ability to produce short-duration, high-intensity rainfall.