Instant Weather Ontario ⚡️

#ONStorm #ONwx ⛈️ Severe Thunderstorm Risk on Tuesday Across Southern Ontario We’re closely watching the potential for strong to severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening on Tuesday across parts of Southern Ontario. Environment Canada’s latest thunderstorm outlook places a ‘Moderate’ severe weather risk from Deep Southwestern Ontario through the Golden Horseshoe and into areas east of Lake Simcoe. This is roughly the same region that was impacted by Saturday’s severe weather. This includes Windsor, Chatham, Sarnia, London, Hamilton, Niagara, Kitchener, Guelph, Barrie, Newmarket, Toronto, Oshawa, Peterborough and Kingston. Environment Canada says the main hazards could include wind gusts of 90 to 110 km/h, hail up to quarter-sized, and torrential downpours. Localized flash flooding may also be a concern, with 30 to 50 mm of rain possible in some areas. Further north, from Grey-Bruce through cottage country and into the Ottawa Valley, thunderstorms are also possible. However, the current risk remains ‘Minor’, with most storms expected to stay below severe limits. We’re putting together our own detailed forecast for Tuesday and will have it posted soon, including timing, the areas most at risk, and what hazards to expect. Stay tuned!

#ontario #onstorm #onfire

As the severe weather threat winds down across Southern Ontario, we wanted to bring your attention to the ongoing wildfire crisis unfolding in Northern Ontario. As we’ve reported over the past few days, one of the wildfires has devastated Namaygoosisagagun First Nation (also known as Collins First Nation). Residents had very little warning as the wildfire rapidly approached. Many were forced to flee by boat with only the clothes on their backs and their pets, escaping just as the flames closed in behind them. Early reports from the community suggest that much of Namaygoosisagagun has been destroyed. Many of you have asked how you can help. We’ve learned that the Anishinabek Nation has launched an official fundraiser where people can make monetary donations to support those affected. One hundred percent of donations will go directly toward Namaygoosisagagun’s emergency response and long-term community recovery efforts. You can donate by e-transfer to: an7gc@anishinabek.ca Additional donation options are available here: an7gc.ca/donate/ We understand that not everyone is in a position to donate. If that’s the case, you can still make a difference by liking, commenting on and sharing this post to help us reach as many people as possible. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this devastating tragedy. Let’s come together and show the people of Namaygoosisagagun that they are not alone. ❤️ - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx Watching this line of developing severe storms stretching from Sarnia through London and into Hamilton. It could bring damaging wind gusts and large hail. We’ve heard reports of toonie-sized hail in London. This is tracking towards the Lake Erie shoreline including the Niagara Region. What are you experiencing? - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx CLARIFICATION: The *only* tornado threat is for the Milton and Oakville area including parts of Peel and Halton Regions. Environment Canada issued a tornado warning over Lake Ontario which likely pushed the warning out to the entire GTA and as far east as Cobourg over AlertReady. Unfortunately, this is a quirk of AlertReady. 🤦‍♂️ Please join us on our live stream and we will keep you informed of the real areas at risk: instantweather.ca/live - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx 12:24 PM: SEEK SHELTER, MILTON AND OAKVILLE! Very strong rotation and hook on this tornado warned storm. This could very likely be producing a tornado. Join us live: instantweather.ca/live - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx ⚠️ Tornado Potential for Western GTA - 12:17 PM We’re tracking this storm with strong rotation tracking into the Milton, Oakville and Mississauga area. Environment Canada mentions tornado potential in their severe warning. Please seek shelter! - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx 🔴 LIVE | ⚠️ Significant Severe Risk in Ontario: Severe Weather Coverage (Sat, Jul. 18, 2026) We’re LIVE tracking the potential for significant severe storms across a wide swath of Southern Ontario this afternoon. We’re starting in hybrid mode as we await the afternoon storms and our team will be joining with updates as things ramp up. Join us for live radar analysis, real-time storm tracking and updates as the situation unfolds. Powered by Canada’s largest weather community, be the first to know about dangerous weather tracking towards your area. Join our stream on YouTube: youtube.com/live/XJazOZvzn…

#ONStorm #ONwx 🔴🌪️ GTA in the Bullseye as Southern Ontario Faces Significant Storm Risk With Tornadoes, Destructive Winds and Timbit-Sized Hail Possible Saturday 📅 Saturday, July 18, 2026 ⤵️ VIEW THE DETAILED FORECAST: instantweatherinc.com/article/ontari… - Brennen ——— Thank you to our sponsor, Xolar: Energy For The Future ☀️⚡️ Xolar Inc is a Canadian-owned solar installation company installing solar and battery backup for homeowners and businesses across Canada. Right now, Xolar Inc is making an exclusive offer only to members of our Instant Weather community to get an additional $2500 off any solar and battery backup installation, on top of the $10,000 in Provincial rebates available for solar + battery. If you would like to claim this special $2500 Instant Weather offer, as well as the $10,000 provincial rebate, request a solar + battery quote with Xolar Inc at the link below! LEARN MORE: Xolar.ca/residential-so… ———

#ONStorm #ONwx ⛈️ Stormy Saturday for Southern Ontario with Potentially Strong Severe Weather Risk, Including Tornadoes We’re keeping a very close eye on the potential for severe thunderstorms across Southern Ontario during the morning and afternoon hours on Saturday. Environment Canada has just released its forecast, placing much of Southwestern, Central and Eastern Ontario under a ‘Moderate’ severe thunderstorm risk. This includes areas from Windsor through London, Kitchener, Toronto, Barrie, Peterborough, Kingston and into the Ottawa Valley. The main threats include 90 to 110 km/h wind gusts, nickel to Timbit-sized hail, and 25 to 50 mm of heavy rainfall. In addition, Environment Canada has highlighted the potential for tornadoes in the Kingston, Brockville and Cornwall corridor. The US Storm Prediction Center, which issues severe weather outlooks for the United States, is actually a bit more aggressive with its forecast. It has an ‘Enhanced’ (Level 3 of 5) risk extending right up to the Canadian border between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. While the SPC outlook officially stops at the border, the atmospheric setup doesn’t. Since the higher risk extends directly to the border, it’s reasonable to expect a similar level of risk just across the border in Southern Ontario. Their outlook also includes a sizable 5% tornado risk. It’s fairly uncommon to see such a widespread Enhanced risk reach all the way to our border, especially with a 5% tornado risk. That only happens a handful of times each year, so Saturday has the potential to be a fairly active severe weather day. There is one major wildcard though, wildfire smoke. Current data suggests the thickest smoke on Saturday will be across Central and Eastern Ontario, which also happens to be where the greatest tornado potential exists. If the smoke is dense enough, it could reduce instability and keep storms weaker than they otherwise would be, potentially limiting the tornado threat. It’s something we’ll be watching very closely as new data comes in. Stay tuned for our own detailed forecast, which I’m putting together now and will have posted shortly! - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx 💨 Poor Air Quality Continues Across Southwestern Ontario on Friday Good afternoon! Wildfire smoke continues to blanket Southwestern Ontario today. However, there has been some welcome improvement across parts of the Golden Horseshoe, including Toronto, where many areas are getting a temporary break from the hazardous air quality. Across Southwestern Ontario, air quality remains very unhealthy to hazardous, although it isn’t quite as intense as it was over the past couple of days. AQI values are generally ranging between 150 and 300 in Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Sarnia and Windsor. That is still dangerous. Prolonged outdoor exposure should be avoided as much as possible, especially for children, older adults and anyone with heart or lung conditions. The good news is that conditions are slowly trending in the right direction. Unfortunately, this improvement won’t last everywhere. Smoke is expected to expand back toward the northeast through the day, meaning air quality will begin to deteriorate again later this afternoon across Barrie, Orillia, Toronto and Peterborough. If you have outdoor plans in those areas, it would be a good idea to get them done over the next few hours before the thicker smoke returns. The smoke will also spread back into Central and Northeastern Ontario later today. Communities including Sudbury, North Bay and Muskoka are expected to see deteriorating air quality again by this evening. One thing we’ll be watching closely tonight is the arrival of rain across Central and Eastern Ontario alongside the returning smoke. That can have both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, rain helps remove smoke particles from the air, leading to improved air quality. However, it does this by washing those particles out of the atmosphere, which can leave behind a residue on vehicles, windows and other outdoor surfaces after the rain ends. By Saturday morning, the thickest wildfire smoke should be focused across Central and Eastern Ontario. Even there, the intensity is expected to gradually decrease as rainfall continues. We’re also keeping a close eye on a potential widespread severe thunderstorm risk on Saturday. As we saw earlier this week, wildfire smoke can have a significant impact on storm development. Right now, it appears the smoke should largely clear out of Southwestern Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe before storms begin to develop, making thunderstorm development more likely there. Farther east, from Peterborough to Kingston, the atmosphere looks more favourable for severe weather, but lingering smoke could limit storm development. Confidence is a bit lower in that area, but if storms are able to form, they could become severe with damaging winds, large hail and even an isolated tornado. At this point, the main threat looks to be from late Saturday morning into the early afternoon before a developing squall line pushes south of the border by around 4:00 to 5:00 PM. We’ll have a much more detailed update on Saturday’s severe weather potential later today. Stay tuned! - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx 💨 Air Quality Improving for Some, But When Will Southwestern Ontario Finally Get Relief From the Wildfire Smoke? As expected, we’ve seen significant improvement in the air quality across Central and Eastern Ontario over the past several hours. Locations including Ottawa, Muskoka, North Bay and Sudbury are now enjoying good air quality with AQI values below 50, which is certainly welcome news after the conditions we’ve seen over the past couple of days. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Southwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. These regions remain locked into a persistent flow from the northwest that’s continuing to funnel thick wildfire smoke into the area. In fact, air quality has actually deteriorated again in several locations this afternoon. After a brief reprieve this morning that saw AQI values dip below hazardous levels for a few hours, we’ve now climbed firmly back into the hazardous category across Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener, Owen Sound, Goderich, London, Sarnia and Windsor. London continues to have some of the worst air quality in Southern Ontario, with multiple monitoring stations reporting AQI values between 500 and 700 this evening. Windsor and Sarnia aren’t far behind. The hazardous air quality is expected to persist overnight. However, we should gradually begin to see some improvement as the overall smoke concentration slowly decreases. Areas along the northeastern edge of the smoke plume are likely to improve first. Locations like Barrie, Peterborough and the eastern GTA have already started seeing air quality improve, and that trend should continue through the night. By Friday morning, the smoke is expected to become more focused over Southwestern Ontario. That could allow places like Barrie and even Toronto to briefly return to near good air quality for a few hours Friday morning before smoke begins pushing back in during the afternoon. The good news is that Friday isn’t expected to be quite as intense as today. Current model guidance is showing average near-ground smoke concentrations of around 100 to 200 µg/m³, compared to the 200+ µg/m³ concentrations we experienced today. Keep in mind those numbers are not AQI values. Smoke concentration is one factor that influences AQI, but several other pollutants and atmospheric conditions also play a role. The smoke isn’t going anywhere this weekend either, but we are expecting another gradual decrease in overall smoke density as the plume spreads out. Current projections suggest average near-ground smoke concentrations will fall into the 50 to 100 µg/m³ range by Saturday morning as the smoke shifts back toward the northeast. That means Central and Eastern Ontario could yet again experience poor air quality on Saturday. Right now, Saturday morning appears to be the first realistic opportunity for Southwestern Ontario to return to safer air quality levels. Until then, it’s still a good idea to avoid prolonged outdoor activities, especially if you have asthma, heart or lung conditions, are older, pregnant, or caring for young children. Even then, the improvement may only be temporary. The fires continue to burn across Northwestern Ontario, and if the wind pattern lines up again, we’ll quickly see another surge of smoke move back into Southern Ontario. However, Saturday may bring another potential threat to Southwestern Ontario… severe thunderstorms! 👀 We’ll have more details on that risk soon. We’ll continue monitoring the latest trends overnight and keep you updated if the forecast changes. - Brennen

Not only is Ontario suffocating under wildfire smoke today… Take a look at the sheer extent of the hazardous air quality. Smoke is stretching more than 2,000 kilometres, from Winnipeg across the Great Lakes and into the northeastern United States. Millions of people are being affected, including those in major cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo, Philadelphia and New York City. In addition to much of Ontario, the smoke has now spread into Manitoba as well, leading to deteriorating air quality around the Winnipeg area. It’s also important to keep things in perspective. While millions of people are dealing with unhealthy air quality, it pales in comparison to the tragedy unfolding across Northwestern Ontario. At least one community, Namaygoosisagagun (Collins) First Nation near Armstrong, has effectively been destroyed after residents were forced to flee the fast-moving wildfire by boat. Thankfully, everyone has been accounted for and is receiving shelter and support. But many families no longer have homes to return to. Several other communities are also under evacuation orders or on evacuation standby as wildfires continue to threaten homes and critical infrastructure across the region. For most of us, the smoke is a temporary inconvenience. The air will eventually clear, and we still have homes where we can seek shelter from it. Many of those displaced by these fires don’t have that certainty. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these devastating wildfires, and we’re incredibly grateful to the firefighters, emergency crews and volunteers working tirelessly to protect communities under extremely difficult conditions. ❤️ - Brennen #ONStorm #ONwx

#ONStorm #ONwx 💨 No, Air Quality Is Not Expected to Significantly Improve in Southwestern Ontario Today We wanted to address some misinformation circulating from a certain event taking place in the London area regarding today’s air quality. The event is claiming that “conditions are improving” as justification for continuing with tonight’s outdoor activities. However, the current forecast and observations simply do not support that conclusion. The only part of Southern Ontario expected to see meaningful improvement today is across portions of Central and Eastern Ontario, where shifting winds will gradually push the northern edge of the smoke plume southwestward. That should allow air quality to slowly improve in areas such as Ottawa, Brockville, Kingston, Peterborough, Muskoka, North Bay and Sudbury. Notice London isn’t on that list. Based on the latest data, Southwestern Ontario is expected to be one of the last areas to see the smoke clear. Thick ground-level smoke is expected to persist through this afternoon and evening, with poor air quality likely lingering into tonight. Some smoke may even remain into Friday across parts of Deep Southwestern Ontario. It’s true that AQI values around London are lower than they were overnight, when some stations exceeded 500. However, readings dropped to around 150 this morning and have already begun climbing again, with many locations now back above 200. Those are normal fluctuations as the smoke shifts, but they should not be interpreted as conditions becoming safe. A drop from an AQI of 500 to 200 is certainly an improvement, but an AQI of 200 is still considered very unhealthy. It’s similar to saying a Category 5 hurricane is no longer dangerous because it weakened to a Category 2. The risk has decreased, but it’s still a dangerous situation. For prolonged outdoor activities to become reasonably safe, we would need to see AQI values fall much lower and remain there for an extended period. We’re simply not there yet. Environment Canada continues to have an Orange Air Quality Warning in effect for the region. Their guidance specifically states: “Limit time outdoors. Reschedule or cancel outdoor sports, activities and events.” That’s about as clear as it gets. We provide weather support for another outdoor event in the area, and based on the same forecast, we’ve recommended they move today’s and tomorrow’s activities indoors. We hope organizers continue to monitor conditions closely and reconsider if necessary. When air quality reaches hazardous levels, protecting the health of attendees should always be the top priority. - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx ❓”The Sky Doesn’t Look as Orange. Why Is the Air Quality Still So Bad?” 🤔 Wildfire smoke continues to blanket much of Southern Ontario this morning, with hazardous air quality persisting across many areas despite skies not looking quite as dramatic as they did yesterday. We’ve seen some confusion about how the air quality can be just as bad, or even worse, despite the sky appearing less orange. The colour of the sky isn’t always a good indicator of air quality. Yesterday, much of the thickest smoke was higher in the atmosphere, creating the eerie orange glow. Over the past 12-16 hours, more of that smoke has mixed down closer to the surface where we breathe. As a result, the sky may not look as ominous, but the air can still be just as unhealthy. The worst air quality continues to be found across Southwestern Ontario, extending into the Golden Horseshoe, where widespread AQI values remain in the hazardous range. If you live in these areas, outdoor exposure should still be kept to an absolute minimum. The Ottawa Valley is also being impacted by the smoke this morning, although conditions are not quite as severe as farther west since it sits near the eastern edge of the thickest smoke plume. AQI values there are generally between 150 and 200, which is still considered unhealthy and can affect everyone, especially those spending extended periods outdoors. There is some good news. The dense ground-level smoke is expected to begin clearing from northeast to southwest this afternoon as winds gradually shift. Areas across Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley should be the first to see improving conditions, with cleaner air slowly pushing toward Central Ontario later today. Unfortunately, Southwestern Ontario and parts of the Greater Toronto Area will likely be the last to improve, with poor air quality expected to persist through this evening and likely into the overnight hours. By Friday morning, the thickest smoke should be mainly confined to the Lake Huron shoreline and Deep Southwestern Ontario, allowing much of the Greater Toronto Area and areas farther east to finally get some relief after a prolonged period of poor air quality. While some wildfire smoke may return by late Friday into Saturday, current indications suggest it should be much less intense than what we’ve experienced over the past 24 hours. If you’re in an area with poor air quality, continue limiting your time outdoors, keep windows and doors closed, run your air conditioner on recirculation if possible, and use an air purifier if you have one. If you need to be outside, a well-fitted N95 respirator remains your best protection against the fine particles in the smoke. Stay safe everyone! How are conditions looking where you are this morning? - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx ⚠️ UPDATE: Thickest Wildfire Smoke Has Now Arrived Across Southern Ontario Wildfire smoke continues to intensify across Southern Ontario this evening as the thickest part of the smoke plume has arrived. Air quality has steadily deteriorated throughout the day, with hazardous conditions now being reported across a large portion of the region. The worst conditions are currently across Southwestern Ontario, including Windsor, Chatham, Sarnia and London, as well as parts of Central Ontario, including Barrie and Muskoka. Northeastern Ontario, particularly around Sudbury and North Bay, is also experiencing hazardous air quality. The poorest air quality is currently just east of Lake Huron. Several monitoring stations around Goderich, Kincardine and Tobermory are reporting AQI values between 500 and over 700, levels that are extremely hazardous and rarely seen in Ontario. The smoke has also spread into the Golden Horseshoe, where AQI values across much of the Greater Toronto Area are in the unhealthy to very unhealthy range, between 150 and 250. Some of the rain that moved through earlier today temporarily improved air quality by washing some smoke out of the atmosphere, but that relief will be short-lived as even thicker smoke moves in overnight. Unfortunately, the forecast has also become more concerning for Eastern Ontario. Earlier today it appeared the Ottawa Valley might avoid the thickest smoke, but the latest data now shows the dense smoke plume extending farther east than expected. Air quality there has been gradually worsening this evening, with thicker smoke expected overnight. The worst air quality is still expected tonight into Thursday morning. While conditions should slowly improve afterward, there are no signs of a rapid clearing. Air quality is expected to remain poor through Thursday, and many areas may not see meaningful improvement until at least Friday. Even then, this likely won’t be the end of the smoke. Until the Northwestern Ontario wildfires are brought under control, additional waves of smoke remain possible through the weekend and perhaps into next week. We’ll continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as conditions evolve. If you live in an area with hazardous air quality, avoid unnecessary time outdoors. These smoke levels are unhealthy for everyone. Keep windows and doors closed, run your air conditioner on recirculation if possible, and use an air purifier if you have one. If you must be outside, wear a well-fitted N95 respirator to help reduce your exposure to the dangerous fine particles in the smoke. Stay safe everyone. How bad is the smoke in your community?

🔥 Northwestern Ontario’s wildfire crisis is rapidly escalating, forcing widespread evacuations and threatening several communities. With provincial wildfire fighting resources already stretched thin, concerns are growing that years of chronic underfunding have left Ontario unprepared for a wildfire emergency of this scale. The rapidly growing fires are also producing massive amounts of smoke, leading to hazardous air quality across much of Ontario and sending thick smoke hundreds of kilometres from the fires. Here’s what we know about the most concerning fires, the communities at risk and the response currently underway: instantweatherinc.com/article/ontari… Our thoughts go out to those impacted by these devastating wildfires. ❤️ - Brennen & Alannah

#ONStorm #ONwx PSA: Please DO NOT call 911 to report wildfire smoke in the air unless you can actually see a fire. We’re hearing from multiple emergency services across Southern Ontario, including the City of London, that 911 lines are being flooded with calls from people reporting the wildfire smoke. The smoke covering much of the region is coming from large wildfires burning hundreds of kilometres away in Northwestern Ontario, not from new local fires. If you can clearly see flames or smoke coming from a specific nearby location, call 911 immediately. Otherwise, please help keep emergency lines available for people experiencing life threatening emergencies. - Brennen