Southwestern Ontario is facing another heatwave, but unlike the one at the start of the month, this scorcher will be short-lived.
Daytime highs are expected to be in the low 30s starting Friday and continue through Monday. Coupled with the humidity, it will feel roughly 10 degrees hotter each day. The overnight lows will provide some relief from the heat, falling slightly into the low 20s.
The stifling conditions prompted the Middlesex London Health Unit to issue an extended three-day heat warning for the region. Environment Canada has London-Middlesex, Elgin, Oxford, Chatham-Kent and Windsor-Essex under a heat warning.
For those who don't enjoy the hot, humid weather there is light at the end of the tunnel. Environment Canada expects cooler air to arrive next week.
"This one is going to be much shorter than the last heatwave we lived through earlier this month," said Gerald Cheng, warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment Canada. "There will be a cold front on Tuesday that will bring the heat and humidity down a little bit to more comfortable levels. But I don't want people to be too excited about the cool down because there is still a lot of summer left so this is unlikely to be our last heatwave."
July started with ten straight days of temperatures that exceeded 30 C. The average daytime high for this time of year is 27 C.
Cheng noted if this pattern continues, July 2020 could enter the history books as the hottest July on record.
"If we look at the average daytime highs for the month of July right now, it is sitting at 30.1 C. So it is quite high," said Cheng. "Normally we should be around the high 20 C mark for the average. It remains to be seen how the rest of July will play out. Right now it looks like temperatures will go back to more seasonal values, at least for a few days."
Until the heat breaks, residents are reminded to drink plenty of water, wear loose fitting clothing, and avoid strenuous outdoor activity in order to avoid heat-related illnesses.
"Also remember to check on neighbours, especially if they are elderly, to see if they are ok. Not everybody has air conditioning, which can make this heat unbearable," added Cheng.
Symptoms of heat related illness include swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
