Severe thunderstorm watch removed for Niagara Region, active weather possible in Toronto

Active weather expected to materialize in the GTA on Thursday is shown on CP24's Future Cast radar.

Environment Canada removed the severe thunderstorm watch for Niagara Region as southern Ontario braces for another period of unsettled weather on Thursday afternoon.

The weather agency had said the conditions would be favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms across Niagara Region on Thursday afternoon through the early evening.

It said the storms could be capable of producing wind gusts of up to 90 kilometres per hour and that hail could measure up to three centimetres in diameter.

There was also a risk of torrential downpours in the affected communities, Environment Canada says.

There are not currently any weather alerts in effect for the GTHA itself.

However, CP24 Meteorologist Bill Coulter says that Toronto could also see “substantial rain and thundershowers in the afternoon and evening” hours.

“We’re not looking at the same intensity of storms as we saw earlier this week. There’s just less potential energy and dynamic forces at play. But, you’ll likely hear a few claps of thunder and flashes of lightning,” Coulter says.

On Tuesday a major spring storm downed power lines and took down tree branches across Toronto. At the peak of the storm, Toronto Hydro said about 27,000 customers were without power.