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Environment Canada has issued a yellow severe thunderstorm watch for most of eastern Ontario Thursday that includes the possibility of tornadoes starting late in the morning.
It covers communities east of Renfrew and Tweed, including Ottawa-Gatineau, Kingston-Belleville and Cornwall.
A separate yellow severe thunderstorm watch for western Quebec communities north and east of Gatineau such as Val-des-Monts, Thurso and Montebello says a similar storm could hit in the afternoon and evening.
Watches mean significant weather is possible, while warnings mean it is happening or about to happen. Tornado watches or warnings would be issued if that becomes a stronger possibility.
Yellow alerts are at the bottom of Environment Canada’s three-colour scale.
Rain, storm surge
Areas under eastern Ontario’s watch, except for Kingston-Belleville, could see up to 40 millimetres of rain.
There is a rainfall warning in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge about up to 50 to 70 millimetres of rain possible Thursday.
The Kingston-Belleville area could see a storm surge onto shorelines from Thursday evening to Saturday morning because of high winds, according to its conservation authorities.
Other hubs such as Maniwaki and Pembroke have no alerts.