The Middlesex-London Health Unit has issued a one-day heat alert as the region continues to grapple with significant heat and humidity that’s expected to continue into the evening hours.
In a statement, the health unit said Environment Canada’s forecast for the London-Middlesex area met its threshold for issuing a heat alert, which will remain in effect until Wednesday. Heat warnings from Environment Canada also remain in effect for the region.
The national weather agency’s late-morning forecast called for an afternoon high Tuesday of 30 C, feeling more like 40 with the humidity — a high that was surpassed around 1 p.m. when the mercury reached 31 C at the airport, feeling like 43.
The overnight hours won’t bring much relief from the heat, with the low dipping down only to 21 C, the forecast says.
“The high heat and humidity expected throughout the day is a good reminder to dress in light clothing, take breaks from working outside and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated,” the health unit said in a statement.
Health officials also advise wearing sunscreen and wide-brimmed hats outdoors, avoiding intense or moderately intense physical activity, and keeping shades drawn.
More information about how to beat the heat and avoid heat-related illness can be found on the health unit’s website. Information on city cooling centres can be found here.
Things will cool off slightly on Wednesday, according to Environment Canada, which forecasts cloudy skies, a 40 per cent chance of showers, a risk of thunderstorm and a high of 27 C, feeling like 34.
Thursday is expected to be cooler still, with showers and a high of 24 C, the forecast says.
Meanwhile, as southern Ontario swelters, residents in Western Canada are hoping for an end to a record-breaking heat wave that shattered 103 heat records across B.C., Alberta, Yukon and N.W.T. on Monday.
Those records include a new Canadian all-time high temperature of 47.9 C set in Lytton, B.C., smashing the previous record of 46.6 set in the village a day earlier.
It was 38.1 C in the Nahanni Bute region of N.W.T., the highest temperature ever recorded in the territory.
Forecasters warn the extreme conditions will persist across the Prairies at least through this week and possibly into next.
–With files from The Canadian Press
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