Grab your umbrellas: A “rare February thunderstorm” is forecasted for Toronto

Thunderstorms in February?! Yup, you read that right. It looks like the city is in for what’s being called a “rare February thunderstorm” this afternoon followed by a quick freeze on Wednesday. Here’s what to know about this mix of messy Toronto weather.

According to Environment Canada, there is a risk of a thunderstorm in Toronto this afternoon, continuing with showers into the evening with more stormy activity overnight.

Rain is expected to change into flurries on Wednesday afternoon with more risks of thunderstorms throughout the morning, into the early afternoon hours.

That being said, temperatures will remain in the double-digit range with a high of 13°C and a low of 10°C on Tuesday and a high of 14°C and a low of -10°C on Wednesday.

Per The Weather Network, this “rare February thunderstorm” is due to a warm front pulling “some instability across southern Ontario.”

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In an interview with Curiocity, Environment Canada Weather Preparedness Meteorologist Geoff Coulson warned us about the unusual weather event, stating that it isn’t “something we typically see in February.”

According to Coulson, Southwestern Ontario, specifically the Windsor area, will see the heaviest thunderstorms but that Torontonians should also get out their umbrellas.

Though temperatures will be above freezing on Tuesday, that’s not the case for Wednesday as the drastic temperature change could bring a chance of flash and hard freeze

“On Wednesday morning, the GTA and eastern Ontario will likely see heavy rainfall to start the day, with possible rumbles in the air, too,” shares TWN.

Depending in the area, according to TWN, temperatures could drop “by as much as 20 degrees in a short amount of time,” by the afternoon hours.

Into Thursday morning, TWN warns drivers in sections of the 400 and 401 east of Toronto to “consider postponing travel during this time.”

But in all this messy weather, it looks like temperatures will settle well into the weekened with a mix of sunny and cloudy skies. Talk about upredictable Toronto weather.

So in all of this, maybe staying indoors is the best option today – if you can.