It was raining when I woke up around 10 downtown Sunday morning, and the rain stopped about 2:15 shortly after the parade began. The skies began to lighten up a bit and by 4'ish it was mostly clear and sunny. Clouds returned around 9 and rain returned around 9pm.
Special weather statement
Issued by Environment Canada Ontario region. 12:40 AM EDT Tuesday
30 June 2009.
Special weather statement issued for..
City of Toronto
Sarnia - Lambton
Elgin
London - Middlesex
Simcoe - Delhi - Norfolk
Dunnville - Caledonia - Haldimand
Oxford - Brant
Niagara
City of Hamilton
Halton - Peel
York - Durham
Huron - Perth
Waterloo - Wellington
Dufferin - Innisfil
Grey - Bruce
Barrie - Orillia - Midland
Belleville - Quinte - Northumberland
Kingston - Prince Edward
Peterborough - Kawartha Lakes
Stirling - Tweed - South Frontenac
Bancroft - Bon Echo Park
Brockville - Leeds and Grenville
City of Ottawa
Gatineau
Prescott and Russell
Cornwall - Morrisburg
Smiths Falls - Lanark - Sharbot Lake
Parry Sound - Muskoka
Haliburton
Renfrew - Pembroke - Barry's Bay
Algonquin
Burk's Falls - Bayfield Inlet.
Scattered thunderstorms today into this evening.
A weather disturbance termed by meteorologists as a cold low has
arrived over the Great Lakes and is responsible for the unsettled
showery weather. Scattered thunderstorms will affect parts of
southern Ontario beginning midday and last into this evening. A few
of these storms may briefly produce 1 to 2 centimetre hail and gusty
winds to 70 or 80 km/h.
Conditions are also favourable for the development of funnel clouds
this afternoon and this evening. These types of funnel clouds form
out of large cumulus clouds or weak thunderstorms and normally do not
have enough energy to reach the ground.
However there is a risk that one of these funnels may briefly touch
down as a weak tornado and become destructive over a very small area.
Treat all funnel clouds and tornadoes seriously and avoid when
possible. Should one develop overhead, take shelter until it
dissipates. Remember, these funnel clouds will normally appear with
little or no warning.
The thunderstorm activity will gradually diminish this evening as
heating from the late June sun wanes.
The cool and damp weather has been perfect for the black and red currants in my garden. Picked the first raspberries yesterday, and the gooseberries are almost ready for jam making. The rhubarb, which I split into four extra clumps in the spring, has already provided me with one good crop for desserts.
Made over $80 selling last year's jam at the street sale early this month.
So much for the storms & rain today. This summer is turning out to be just last last summer. It's hard to plan anything out doors with the forecasts being wrong so often. At 11am this morning the Environment Canada website said it was overcast at Toronto Island airport yet when I looked outside, the skies were blue without a cloud in sight.
On Saturday they were calling for temperatures to reach 30/86 by next weekend, but that forecast didn't last long. I wonder if this summer will approach 1992 and 2004 as the coolest summers of recent memory.
The temperatures and lack of humidly (mostly, so far) suit me just fine too. However, it's the inaccurate forecasts and seemingly endless overcast days that are getting me down. I'm an outdoor summer guy; I live all winter looking forward to summer. It's very difficult to plan outdoor events when rain is in the forecast most every day, but never arrives. I like rain, and we need it. But we need sun too. Think of the crops!
