IN PHOTOS: Damaging storms tear through southern Ontario, air quality improves
Multiple damage reports have come in from Tuesday's powerful storms, which slammed numerous communities as a cold front passed through the south of the province.
Southern Ontario's searing heat and humidity meant the atmosphere was primed for severe storms Tuesday, with a descending cold front serving as a trigger through the afternoon and evening hours.
Severe thunderstorm watches were issued early for most of southern Ontario, with some storms already firing up by the noon-hour, and some significant damage reported in the Parry Sound area with the first line of severe weather earlier in the day.
As the afternoon wore on, storms sparked in the Greater Toronto Area, eastern Ontario, including Ottawa as well -- bringing dark skies, powerful winds, and heavy downpours, which caused localized flooding in some places. Damage of various kinds, from downed trees and damaged homes and farm structures, has been reported in several communities, including Hallville, Pakenham, Brittania Village, and others, though the storms had largely subsided by the evening hours.
The silver lining is that the passing cold front helped to bring temperatures down from their uncomfortable peaks that started this week, and have also helped to sweep some of the skies clear of the intense wildfire smoke that has blanketted much of North America. The special air quality statements that covered southern Ontario on Monday and Tuesday have now been dropped.
Below is a selection of how the storms played out on Twitter.