Thunderstorms, up to 50 mm of rain possible for cottage country

The CTV Barrie transmission tower is struck by lightning on Thurs. June 13, 2024 (Chris Garry/CTV News Barrie).

Spring thunderstorms could be on the way for Simcoe Muskoka and cottage country.

Barrie, Orillia, and many other towns in Central Ontario are under a special weather statement for heavy rainfall and thunderstorms early this Easter weekend.

According to Environment Canada, localized rainfall amounts could range from 30 to 50 millimetres with a potentially substantial round of showers and thunderstorms Friday night. The weather statement spans from the eastern shores of Lake Huron to the Kawartha Lakes region in latitude and from the Barrie area to Huntsville and Parry Sound in longitude.

The weather agency adds that there could be flooding in low-lying areas and water pooling on roads.

This weekend marks exactly three weeks since the 2025 ice storm wrecked havoc across the province.