Week-long ‘prolonged heat event’ arrives in Waterloo Region

People in Waterloo Region will want to stay hydrated and keep cool this week, as Environment Canada issued a heat warning for a large swath of southern Ontario.

Warning of a “prolonged heat event,” the weather agency said to expect dangerously hot and humid conditions through most of this week.

That includes daytime highs through much of the week in the range of 30 C to 35 C with humidex values of 40 C to 45.

The average daytime high for this time of year is 24 C.

There isn’t much relief in the evening and overnight hours; lows are expected to be around 20 C to 23 C with humidex values in the range of 26 C to 30 C.

The higher temperatures and humid air could also result in deteriorating air quality.

The high heat comes as summer officially arrives at 4:50 p.m. on Thursday.

Temperatures could get as hot as 34 C that day, feeling more like 44 with the humidex. The record high to beat on Thursday is 32.2 C set in 2016.

Adjusting to the warmer temperatures, it’s worth noting that extreme heat like what’s expected this week can impact people’s health, with risks greater for older adults, infants, young children, pregnant people, and those with disabilities or mobility issues.

Environment Canada also warns never to leave people or pets within a parked vehicle in the heat; Waterloo Regional Police have indicated they’ve already responded to 10 calls this month for pets left in unattended vehicles.

More information on the Region of Waterloo’s cooling centres, including an interactive map, here.