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Thunderstorms move across western and central PEI as heat begins to lift

Thunderstorms move across western and central PEI as heat begins to lift

Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Prince and Queens Counties on Prince Edward Island on Thursday afternoon, lasting about an hour. A band of heavy rain, accompanied by lightning and thunder, moved across the western and central parts of the province.

Ahead of the storms, the weather agency said rain could reach 50mm per hour and wind gusts of up to 90km/h. The storms began early Thursday afternoon.

“This storm cluster is moving east … and could produce heavy rain, intense lightning, pea-sized hail and locally strong wind gusts,” said CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland.

“Remember to take shelter at the first clap of thunder.”

The thunderstorms are expected to put an end to the heat wave on the island.

A heat warning remained in effect for PEI’s three provinces on Thursday, with temperatures reaching 31 degrees Celsius.

Temperatures will drop to 19C on Thursday night and rise to a relatively cool 23C on Friday. Seasonal temperatures for this time of year are normally around 20C.

Environment Canada issues a heat warning when temperatures are expected to exceed 28 degrees Celsius and not drop below 18 degrees Celsius at night, or when humidex readings feel like 36 degrees Celsius for two days.

Several heat records were broken on Wednesday

The oppressive heat has been felt for days in southern Ontario, southern Quebec and much of Atlantic Canada, with records broken in several places, including PEI

Charlottetown had its warmest June 19 since records began in 1872, Environment Canada reported, with a temperature of 31.6 C (88 F) beating the 31.2 C (88 F) recorded in 2020.

The weather bureau reported that a record was also broken at East Point (29.7 C) and the record was equalled at St. Peters Bay, which tied the 2020 record of 31.8 C.

Days that reach 30 C are uncommon on PEI, but they are becoming more common. From 1960 to 2010, Charlottetown averaged one day that warm per year. In the last six years, the average has been closer to three.

Environment Canada’s island-wide warning offers tips on how to cope with the heat:

  • Drink water regularly, even before you feel thirsty.

  • Never leave people, especially children or pets, in a parked vehicle.

  • Watch for early signs of heat illness, such as fatigue and headache.

  • Call 911 if you or someone you are caring for has a high body temperature and is confused, has stopped sweating, or becomes unconscious. Cool the person down immediately while you wait for help: move him or her to a cool place, apply cold water to large areas of the skin, and fan the person as much as possible.

Summer officially begins today at 5:50 a.m. AT, so the heat will coincide with the most daylight hours this year. The sun will set around 9:07 a.m. AT, much later than the 4:28 a.m. AT sunset during the December solstice.