Heat, humidity, stormy skies: Unsettled weather set to welcome in summer

It’s the final week of spring, and summer is making itself known with plenty of unsettled weather set to slam into the region this week.

It’s expected to include plenty of heat and humidity, rain, and even some possible thunderstorms beginning Tuesday night and continuing through Wednesday.

Jill Taylor, 570’s Meteorologist, said that after the cooler, spring weather seen throughout May and into the start of June, it’ll feel like a stark difference heading through the week.

“We’ll have an unsettled stretch for the next couple of days with the heat and humidity,” Taylor said. “We’ve got very summer-like conditions, and it’s almost like someone flipped the switch to summer. It’s going to be very summer-like for the next couple of days.”

For Tuesday, Taylor said temperature highs will hit 28 C at times, with that humidity bumping it to feel like 36 C. She added that it’ll only get warmer next week as well.

“We will get a little bit of relief from the heat and humidity on Thursday and Friday, but Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday could feel more like 40 C with that humidity.”

It’s a big reminder to stay cool as the region makes its way into summer, with the chances of heat stroke and heat exhaustion all on the rise alongside those temperatures. Make sure to keep a water bottle handy to stay hydrated, with other options, including splash pads throughout the region, all opened up for the season as well.

Some splash pad locations across the region include:

• Waterloo Park
• Wilmot Recreation Complex
• Victoria Park
• Riverside Park
• Albert McCormick Community Centre
• Doon Pioneer Park
• Carl Zehr Square
• Centreville Chicopee
• And more…

Most sites across the region have already opened up for the summer season, with most opening at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. The full list of locations and details on those splash pads can be found on the various municipal websites across Waterloo Region, including Wilmot Township, Cambridge, Waterloo, and Kitchener.

It doesn’t mean it’ll be all sunshine through that stretch with some clouds, rain, and even some possible thunderstorms not looking to make a real dent in all that humidity.

“It’ll stay rather cloudy; we do have a slight chance of showers today, but it’s a very small chance,” Taylor mentioned. “Then a better chance of wet weather for Wednesday with some scattered showers and thunderstorms.”

It all comes through the final days of spring, with summer officially set to make its way into the region as of Friday evening.

“When does summer actually arrive? 10:42 p.m. on Friday night,” Taylor stated. “It’s going to be very summer-like this week, and especially for the start of next week, feeling close to 40 C.”