An important heat warning and a watchful thunderstorm has been set up by Environment Canada for the day and Sunday evening. Even if the temperature will descend slightly aware of the week, hot and humid times should continue until Thursday by particularly touching southern Quebec.
Mercury will surround around 30 ° C, while the humidx factor will be maximum between 36 and 38, indicates in an interview Dominic Morin, meteorologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). Unlike Sunday, or at its peak, the wet index was 40, high warnings are not planned.
But, as the felt temperature will approach the threshold of 40 ° C, it is always important to remember the heat preventive measures. Drinking water before thirsty, staying cool and getting news of the elderly or people at risk are among the government’s recommendations in a heat wave.
“The health impacts are lower when you are below a wet factor of 40, but vulnerable people are still at risk, even if we talk about 38 humidx versus a 40,” summarizes Dominic Morin.
Environment Canada also indicates to monitor the first signs of exhaustion due to heat, such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, thirst, dark urine or intense fatigue. If you demonstrate one of these signs, “stop your activity and drink water,” says ECCC in its warnings.
This “heat wave” will be important in particular because of the nights “which will be hot”, notes Dominic Morin. The meteorologist says he observes temperatures around 20 or 22 ° C after sunset. “It does not offer respite for heat and it’s not always super comfortable for sleeping,” he says.
The use of an air conditioner and a fan is therefore recommended, as well as close the canvases and blinds and keep the closed windows if it is warmer outside than inside. As soon as it starts to do cooler outside than inside, however, the windows must be reopened. “Even if it is hot at night, the goal is to get the heat out,” said Morin.
“If it is hot in your living space, go to a fresh public place such as a refreshment center, a community center, a library or shaded parks,” proposes Environment Canada, which also advises to limit its direct exposure to the sun and heat and wear a hat and light, pale and ample clothes.
Thunderstorms on Sunday
The heat should continue until Thursday, due to the expected arrival of a stormy system affecting southern Quebec.
Until then, Sunday thunderstorm cells will help the province somewhat cool, but will also bring their share of problems. A monitoring of violent thunderstorms was issued on Sunday, reporting “strong gusts” and “torrential rain”.
For a thunderstorm to be considered “violent” by ECCC, it must present either gusts of at least 90 km / hour, hail of at least 2 cm or 50 mm of rain in an hour.
For the Sunday system, the risk of hail is present, but is not the object that the government agency observes as a priority, as is the formation of tornadoes, which is a risk “present, but which is not the main element”, dissects Dominic Morin.
Electricity breakdowns or sudden floods, which can lead to floods, are possible consequences of the passage of thunderstorm cells.
“There are sectors which are already vulnerable because of the thunderstorms that there have already been this week, notably Beauce,” explains Mr. Morin. Earlier this week, the Chaudière river overflowed, creating some floods and road closings. “It is sure that these sectors, if there are other rains that are added to that, it could become complicated and worsen the situation,” says the meteorologist.
“For the other sectors, even if they are not vulnerable, when there are 50 mm of rain that falls in an hour, it can have fairly large impacts on either rivers or sewer networks,” he also notes.