Extreme heat alert: Toronto temperatures to reach low 30s

Boats are seen on Lake Ontario on Monday, Sept. 7, 2015.

The sweltering heat continues in the City of Toronto, resulting in two heat alerts on this Labour Day holiday.

On Monday, Environment Canada reported a high of 33 C, but warned that it felt more like 41 C with the humidity.

In response to the forecast, the city's Medical Officer of Health upgraded an existing heat alert to an extreme heat alert on Monday morning.

A heat alert is issued when temperatures are forecast above 31 C, with a humidex of 40 C or more, for two days in a row. The alert is upgraded to an extreme heat alert if the heat wave is expected to last three days or more.

During the alert, cooling centres will be open across Toronto from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The cooling centres can be found at the East York Civic Centre, North York Civic Centre, Driftwood Community Centre, Etobicoke Civic Centre, McGregor Community Centre and Centennial Park Community Centre. The cooling centre at Metro Halls opened at 11 a.m. and will remain open 24 hours a day until the end of the extreme heat alert.

Those in the city can also visit air-conditioned shopping malls and community centres to cool off. Here's a roundup of what's open and closed in the city on Labour Day.

In response to the warm weekend, the city also extended outdoor pool season. The pools were scheduled to close Sept. 6, but 10 will remain open until 5 p.m. on Monday because of the heat.

Toronto is also under its fourth consecutive Environment Canada heat alert due to the scorching temperatures. A heat alert has been in place in the Greater Toronto Area since Friday, due to a hot air mass hovering over southern Ontario.

Environment Canada said some areas may see relief from the heat on Monday evening or Tuesday, with rain in the forecast for most of the week. The weather agency predicts a high of 30 C on Tuesday, but estimates temperatures will dip to 23 C by Wednesday and Thursday.

The seasonal norm for this time of year is 22 C.

Residents of the affected areas are warned to watch for symptoms of heat illness including dizziness and fainting, headache, rapid breathing and decreased urination. Anyone who experiences the symptoms is advised to move to a cool place and drink liquids.

To keep cool during a heat wave, both the city and Environment Canada recommend wearing light-coloured, loose clothing and wide-brimmed hats, and keeping blinds or drapes closed if air conditioning isn't an option, taking cool showers and avoiding direct sunlight if possible.

In addition to Toronto, the following areas fall under Environment Canada's heat warning: