Severe thunderstorms could bring heavy rain, damaging winds and large hail to parts of southern Ontario on Saturday, while an isolated tornado is also possible in some areas.
RELATED: Up to 50 mm of rain in southern Ontario
Mississauga, Brampton, Halton, Hamilton, Durham, Toronto, and Niagara are among the regions facing potentially significant rainfall as storms move east across the province.
Environment Canada says some locations could receive more than 50 millimetres of rain through Sunday morning, with intense thunderstorms capable of producing up to 40 millimetres in an hour.
Beyond the heavy rain, Instant Weather Inc. says parts of southern Ontario could see large hail and strong winds, with an isolated tornado also possible.
Shortly before 5 p.m. on Saturday, Instant Weather reported severe storms developing north and northeast of London. The organization said multiple members of its community had reported large hail from a storm near Lucan, Ontario, while hail had also been reported around Guelph.
More thunderstorms were developing over Lake Huron at the time.
The focus is expected to move east as the evening progresses, with an area stretching from London through Kitchener and the Greater Toronto Area to Barrie at risk of further storm development.
Some communities in that corridor could be hit by several rounds of thunderstorms. Instant Weather says its forecast models indicate the hardest-hit locations could receive between 50 and 100 millimetres of rain, with isolated amounts potentially exceeding that range.
Thunderstorms could continue into the overnight hours before gradually weakening.
The unsettled weather is also creating favourable conditions for waterspouts on the Great Lakes.
Instant Weather Inc says Lake Erie and southern Lake Huron face the greatest waterspout potential, while activity is also possible on Georgian Bay, Lake Simcoe and Lake Ontario.
The International Centre for Waterspout Research expects the risk to be greatest Saturday afternoon and evening, with conditions remaining favourable into Sunday.
Additionally, a sharp change in temperature will follow the storms, bringing southern Ontario an early taste of fall.
Many communities could struggle to reach 20 C on Sunday as cooler air spreads across the region, with the chilly conditions expected to continue into the beginning of next week.
Environment Canada is advising residents to monitor forecasts and weather alerts as conditions evolve.
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