Hail pummeled parts of Toronto Thursday as a powerful summer storm swept through the city and brought highway traffic to a standstill.
The rain began shortly after 4 p.m., falling in heavy sheets. Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning due to concerns of large hail, damaging winds, lightning strikes and “torrential” rainfall.
The strong storm is expected to strike several regions within the Greater Toronto Area and pass by mid-evening.
Videos show sheets of rain blasting roads and halting traffic along Highway 401. Other photos show an ominous wall of clouds passing over the city’s skyline and thick piles of hail on the road.
Wow. That came on pretty fast. #Hail #Toronto #storm pic.twitter.com/jUr429ZRYy
— Rosa Hwang (@journorosa) July 26, 2018
Wind! And Rain! And Hail! OH MY! #weather #crazyweather #toronto pic.twitter.com/JB9sQO9tUa
— Peter Akman (@PeterAkman) July 26, 2018
#ONStorm Stockyards, Toronto. 355pm pic.twitter.com/LgjdkiBkKI
— Matty (@mattytoophatty) July 26, 2018
My daughter just sent me these as she is driving home from work #onstorm #toronto pic.twitter.com/PbLqPMlzqi
— Gale (@Gale50218244) July 26, 2018
What it looks like over Toronto right now ☁️☁️☁️ #onstorm #dlws pic.twitter.com/Ec7blDwfuQ
— Neil Wadhwa (@neilwadhwa) July 26, 2018