Where will you land in Toronto’s major temperature divide?
Expect a significant range in temperatures across the Greater Toronto Area during the day on Monday
Victoria Day is looking toasty for much of southern Ontario as muggy southerly winds wash over the region. We’re on track to see the province’s first 30-degree reading of the year on Monday.
Not everyone is going to get in on the summer-like warmth.
Winds blowing off Lake Ontario will keep temperatures on the chilly side for portions of the Greater Toronto Area, leading to a sharp temperature divide from one community to the next.
DON'T MISS: Severe storm risk could upend outdoor plans Monday in Ontario
Big swings across neighbourhoods in and around Toronto
Water’s high heat capacity means it takes a relatively long time to warm up and cool down with the changing seasons.
Current average temperatures across Lake Ontario are hovering around 5°C, which is around two degrees below normal for this point in May.
Daytime high temperatures will climb into the upper 20s to lower 30s throughout much of southern Ontario on Monday as the summer-like heat builds across the region.
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Given those frigid waters, the same southerly winds blowing warm air into the region will also keep communities downwind from Lake Ontario depressingly chilly for the unofficial start of the summer season.
Temperatures on Monday afternoon will struggle to climb out of the teens along the immediate lakefront. We’ll see readings steadily climb with distance from the lake.
Downtown Toronto, High Park, and The Danforth will only manage to climb into the lower 20s by Monday evening. Folks in Etobicoke, York, Scarborough, and Markham are likely far enough away from the water to make it into the upper 20s.
We’re likely going to see readings reach or exceed 30°C inland toward Pearson Airport, Woodbridge, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill.
Despite the gorgeous temperatures, stay alert if you have outdoor plans through the day on Monday. A risk for thunderstorms will build throughout southern Ontario during the afternoon and evening hours; some of the storms west toward the Huron shores could turn severe. Be sure to check back through the day for your latest forecast.