Strong winds in Toronto prompt Environment Canada to issue special weather statement

CP24’s Courtney Heels has the latest on another day of wild weather which will see very strong winds and a significant amount of rainfall hit the city.

It was a windy and warmer-than-usual end to the week in Toronto.

A special weather statement was in effect for most of Friday, advising of winds of up to 90 km/h.

• Visit our weather hub for Toronto’s full forecast

The statement has since ended.

Toronto also saw unseasonably warm temperatures on Friday, recording a daytime high of 14.1 C at Pearson Airport.

The warmest Jan. 9 on record was in 2008 when the temperature reached a high of 11.6 C.

Meanwhile, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority also issued a watershed conditions statement, warning of rapidly changing water levels in the coming days due to rain and melting snow.

“Flooding is not expected in TRCA watersheds, however due to the total rainfall expected combined with warmer temperatures and melting snow, all rivers may rise and flow faster than usual over the next 2 to 3 days,” the statement read.

“Due to the weather forecast, all rivers and streams in the TRCA’s jurisdiction should be considered dangerous with this weather system, as it is expected to cause rapidly changing water levels, faster and stronger flows, unstable riverbanks and unsafe ice conditions.”

GTA residents were advised to avoid rivers and streams as well as slippery banks around bodies of water.

“The ground in TRCA watersheds is frozen. This stops rain and melted snow from soaking in and makes more water run into rivers. This could cause water to pool in flood plains and in low-lying areas that do not drain well,” the advisory notes.

“Ice cover and cold water temperatures in rivers and waterbodies is also a danger as there is a higher risk of falling in because riverbanks and nearby areas are icy and slippery. Where rivers are covered with ice and snow, warm weather and rain will result in the ice to break up and move downstream potentially causing ice jams.”

Toronto Hydro warned of possible outages due to the gusty conditions.

“It’s a blustery day in Toronto! Strong winds and showers are moving through and could cause power outages or damage. We’re keeping a close eye on the weather, and our Control Room and crews are ready to respond,” the utility said in a post on social media.