Toronto has recorded a new temperature high for May 31.
The city last recorded the highest temperature for the day in 1944 – at 31.1 C, data from Environment Canada show.
The weather agency says a temperature of 32.1 C was observed at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport at 2 p.m. today.
It has issued a heat warning for the city, along with some other areas including the Peel, Windsor-Essex, York and Durham regions, where maximum temperatures in the low 30s are expected.
Environment Canada says minimum temperatures in the low 20s will provide little relief from the heat tonight, but that cooler air was expected on Wednesday.
Blair Feltmate, head of the Intact centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, says the new record set in Toronto is “climate change in action.”
Environment Canada has also issued a special weather statement for about half of southern Ontario as hot and humid weather persists for a second day.
The agency says these conditions pose a health risk when people are not used to the heat, noting that older adults, people with chronic illnesses, as well as infants and young children are especially at risk.
People are advised to drink plenty of cool liquids, keep cool by dressing for the weather and spending more time in a cool place.
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
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