‘Strong winds and rain’: Environment Canada issues special weather statement for this weekend

The Toronto skyline sits shrouded in fog as a man walks in the rain on Thursday December 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn (Frank Gunn/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Toronto, warning of strong winds and heavy rain expected through Saturday and into Sunday afternoon.

The agency says wind gusts could reach 60 to 80 km/h, with total rainfall of 10 to 20 mm. There is also a 60 percent chance of showers Saturday morning and a risk of thunderstorms by early afternoon.

“Localized flooding in low-lying areas and water pooling on roads are possible,” Environment Canada said. “Loose objects may be tossed by the wind and cause injury or damage.”

Officials also warn of potential power outages in some areas.

The alert comes weeks after Toronto dealt with record-breaking snowfall in February, when the city saw more snow in a single week than in all of last winter.

Rain is expected to taper off by Sunday evening. Temperatures will reach a high of 15 C on Saturday before dipping to 10 C overnight. Sunday will see a daytime high of 14 C before dropping to 2 C by nightfall.

Environment Canada urges residents to monitor weather alerts and check with local authorities for flood-related concerns.