Region embracing hot temperatures during heatwave

Simcoe County is no longer under a heat warning but temperatures are still high.

The Barrie area will continue to see highs into the 20s this week with the humidex making it feel like it’s in the 30s.

The hot and sunny weather has been good for businesses like St. Onge Recreation.

“Summer took a while to get here, but in the last few weeks, it got here with a vengeance, and we started seeing people coming in,” said Joe Racco, sales manager. “They’ve gone to the cottage, they now want to use their toys.”

People coming into the store to buy jet skis and boats won’t leave disappointed.

“The first question is: ‘What body of water are you running?’ Is it a big water with big waves? So you’re going to need a big, more stable machine,” said Racco. “Or is it a smaller cottage machine just to buzz around? You can get a spark. That’s a lot of fun to drive.”

After a cooler start to the season, business has started to pick up.

“When the weather gets really, really hot, you get out on the dock and you just think, you know, it would be great to get out and enjoy the water a little more often,” said Racco.

The hot weather is also a welcome sign for farmers.

After last year’s drought, farmers say most crops are on track thanks to consistent rain the region has seen this season.

The winter wheat is starting to turn yellow now. So that’s kind of a reminder that that’s probably the next thing two weeks from now," said Kevin Eisses from Hewitt Creek Farms. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see some wheat being harvested.”

Eisses added the rain has been a nice change of pace after the dry summer last year, but with the rain comes other challenges as well.

“We’ve got some oats that are susceptible to disease and soybeans as well,” said Eisses. “They’re at the stage where they’re going to need some protection from fungicides and some bacteria that also will be detrimental too to their growth. So, we’re going to protect them.”

Eisses added he hopes to see at least one day of rain a week for a successful summer.