Severe storms to kick off a cool, rainy week across Ontario

A risk for severe weather will build over parts of Ontario to kick off the new work week as a feisty Colorado low drags across the Great Lakes.

Monday’s severe weather risk will serve as the prelude for a raw, rainy few days for much of southern and eastern Ontario. The final days of May are on track to feel more like early spring than the start of meteorological summer.

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Storms possible Sunday night into Monday morning

A classic Colorado low spawning ample severe weather south of the border this weekend will move into the Great Lakes region through the latter half of Sunday.

Several rounds of rain and thunderstorms will sweep into southern Ontario on Sunday night as this low-pressure system draws closer to the region.

The first wave of rain will push over southwestern Ontario overnight Sunday. Don’t be surprised if some rumbles of thunder wake you up around Windsor and London.

A second push of rain and storms will move into the region through the pre-dawn hours on Monday. Thunderstorms could reach farther north than they did overnight, with thunder possible around Toronto and Hamilton as the Monday morning commute begins.

While neither of the nighttime rounds of storms are expected to be severe, any stronger cells could produce small hail, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall.

Renewed storm risk bubble Monday afternoon

The bigger threat arrives for eastern Ontario on Monday afternoon—but with a catch.

All the rain and storms that’ll move through the province early in the day Monday will serve to stabilize the atmosphere. If the atmosphere can’t ‘recover’ from that rain-cooled air, it will lessen Monday afternoon’s storm risk.

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However, if instability can build through the day Monday, we’re looking at a risk for severe thunderstorms across eastern Ontario. The threat stretches from the eastern Greater Toronto Area up Highway 401 and Highway 7 into Ottawa, including Kingston, Cornwall, Bancroft, and even next door into southern portions of Metro Montreal.

Forecasters will also watch to see if the risk for severe weather moves closer into the Greater Toronto Area.

Large hail, strong wind gusts, and heavy rainfall will be the predominant threats in any severe thunderstorms that develop Monday afternoon. Stay alert for rapidly changing conditions in your area, and have a plan in place to seek shelter if dangerous weather threatens.

Plenty of rain over the next week

Conditions will remain unsettled through the middle of the week as continuing rounds of showers swing through southern Ontario.

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Most communities throughout the region will see 10-30 mm of rain over the next seven days, with amounts varying by location due to the scattered nature of the showers and storms.

Below-seasonal temperatures will dominate the final days of May and heading into the first week of June. Daytime highs will only reach the upper teens for most communities through Thursday, with sunshine for the latter half of the week pushing temperatures back toward the lower 20s.

Stay with The Weather Network for the latest on your stormy forecast across Ontario.

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