That’s why public health offices across southern Ontario and Environment Canada are advising residents to take care of themselves and stay cool when extreme heat alerts are issued.
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The heat warning is expected to be extended later on July 27 to southwestern and eastern Ontario.
The GTA is bracing for a full-fledged heat wave, the likes of which we haven’t seen so far this summer. Today’s high of 32.5 C tops that mark, but Monday’s temperature topped out at 31.7 C at Pearson worldwide Airport. That means you might come out of the heat a little too late because you’ve become more tolerant to it than you were before. These include dizziness or fainting, nausea or vomiting, headache, rapid breathing and heartbeat, extreme thirst and decreased urination with unusually dark yellow urine.
Frequently visit neighbours, friends and older family members, especially those who are chronically ill, to make sure that they are cool and hydrated.
Animals also need to be considered – one dog was pulled from a parked vehicle in the middle of the ByWard Market on Monday.
Environment Canada is warning of a hot week that will involve temperatures easily climbing north of the norm.
But unlike cities such as Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, Ottawa does not offer nor arrange transport to these air-conditioned places or pools for vulnerable people, such as the elderly. Those who work and exercise outside, as well as people without access to air conditioning are also at risk.
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Coulson said the heat wave is caused by a large area of high pressure over the Great Lakes, “acting like a big pump bringing up this warm air from the American deep south”.
