A large swath of central Canada was getting roasted by searing summer weather on Monday, with heat alerts and humidex advisories being issued in cities across the Prairies and Ontario.
The southern parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan were among the hottest spots in the country Monday afternoon, with temperatures in major cities there flirting above 30 degrees Celsius, with no end in sight.
In Winnipeg, residents were being told to limit the use of their air conditioners as electricity was in short supply after three days of overwhelming heat. Temperatures in the Manitoba capital reached as high as 34 C on Monday afternoon, with an imposing sun beating down from a cloudless sky.
Manitoba Hydro said some 5,000 homes were left without power overnight Sunday, and more outages loomed if air conditioner use wasn't brought in line.
It was Winnipeg's third-straight day of above-30 C temperatures and local meteorologists had officially declared a heat wave.
A heat wave is considered to be three or more consecutive days in which the maximum temperature reaches 32 C.
The city has been warned to expect similarly high temperatures through the week, although rain showers on Tuesday and Wednesday should temper the effect.
In Regina and Saskatoon, temperatures were expected to reach 32 C on Monday, with a humidex advisory warning that it could feel like 40 C or hotter outside. Environment Canada says Saskatchewan and sections of Alberta should expect similar heat on Tuesday, before things cool down to around 24 C on Wednesday.
In Ontario, the Toronto area was the focus of its own humidex advisory on Monday, despite the city calling an end to its two-day-old heat alert.
Torontonians experienced a daytime high of 32 C and humidex values between 39 and 42 on Monday, according to Environment Canada.
Environment Canada's Marie-Eve Giguere said a cold front was slowly moving into the province from Quebec, causing showers and temperatures that were considered moderate in comparison to what was being forecast for later in the week.
Giguere says it will also be a bit cooler on Tuesday but temperatures would immediately bounce back to its hot, humid ways. By Thursday, temperatures in Canada's largest city were expected to reach as high as 37 C.
With files from The Canadian Press
