Tyler Griffin, The Canadian Press Published Tuesday, July 19, 2022 6:16 PM EDT Last Updated Tuesday, July 19, 2022 6:18 PM EDT
Much of Ontario was sweltering under heat warnings on Tuesday, prompting some residents to head to public pools while others sought cooler indoor spots.
Environment Canada has issued warnings for a swath of the province from Prescott and Russell in the east to Windsor in the southwest, with temperatures reaching 30 C and higher in several places. The weather agency said the heat could last up to five days in parts of southern Ontario.
At Sunnyside Beach in west Toronto, Sonia Gemitti dipped her toes in a nearby pool and said that while she usually enjoys warmer weather, Tuesday’s temperatures were “a little too hot.”
“I just go in the kiddie pool, get my feet wet, go for a walk, get back in the kiddie pool, try to enjoy it,” she said. “We thought it would be cooler by the lake with a slight breeze.”
Gemiti said she and her husband plan to head north this week to enjoy the weather, though they plan to stay indoors when the temperatures get too hot.
At an outdoor pool elsewhere in Toronto — which reached 34 C by late afternoon — Andy Gilson said he plans to spend much of the week indoors or by the water.
“I’m from England and I hear from my family how terrible it is over there,” Gilson said. “But being English, I’m like, ‘That’s great!’
Britain broke its record for the hottest temperature ever recorded on Tuesday amid a heat wave in parts of Europe. The typically temperate nation was the latest to be hit by unusually hot and dry weather that sparked wildfires from Portugal to the Balkans and led to hundreds of heat-related deaths.
Gilson said he bought the cheapest air conditioner available from a local Canadian tire dealer this week.
“I have to keep my cool or I’ll be miserable too,” he said.
At a library in Toronto, Molly Short said she uses the facility’s air conditioning to take a break from the heat.
“I was trying to get some work done, and (the library) is cooler than my apartment,” she said.
“It’s too hot, it’s damn hot.”
Environment Canada also had heat warnings for parts of northern Ontario on Tuesday, including the Greater Sudbury area, North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Elliott Lake. Other areas, including Thunder Bay and Kenora, were under severe thunderstorm watches.
Several Ontario cities have urged residents to try to beat the heat by drinking plenty of water even before they feel thirsty; staying in the shade; walking in air-conditioned places; wearing light, breathable clothing; and rescheduling outdoor exercise for cooler parts of the day.
Residents were also encouraged to check in with friends, family and neighbors living alone, as well as high-risk individuals such as the elderly, young children and people with chronic illnesses.
Communities also warned residents to watch for symptoms of heat illness, including dizziness or fainting, nausea or vomiting, headache, extreme thirst, rapid breathing and very dark yellow urine.
In Toronto, the city extended the hours of seven pools until 11:45 p.m. Tuesday in light of the heat advisory.
– with files from The Associated Press.
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