Severe storm with strong winds, hail and torrential rain hit the region
Severe storms rolled into central Ontario on Wednesday, with Environment Canada warning about 120 kilometres per hour winds that had the potential to produce a tornado.
On Wednesday morning, Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Simcoe County and Muskoka, noting conditions were favourable for the wicked weather to begin in the afternoon and last through the evening.
Marchmont Road in Severn Township, Ont., on Wed., May 22, 2024. (Courtesy: Connor Earl Productions)
By 2 p.m., meteorologists tracking the severe thunderstorm issued a tornado warning that was lifted soon after.
Environment Canada issued two tornado warnings for Simcoe County on Wed., May 22, 2024.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
As a cold front moved through the region, the agency said the main threats were strong winds and hail.
"Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles," it stated on its website.
Hail stormed down in Innisfil, Ont., on Wed., May 22, 2024. (Supplied)
The weather agency also warned the storm could produce torrential rain and toonie-sized hail, which many parts of the region saw in the late afternoon.
Hail rained down in Brechin, Ont., during a tornado warning on Wed., May 23, 2024. (Courtesy: Greg Jones)
Later that night, after 9 p.m., a second tornado warning was issued, as iphones blasted the emergency alert.
Again, it was lifted less than 20 minutes later.
Environment Canada encouraged people to take cover if threatening weather approached.
"If you hear a roaring sound or see a funnel cloud, swirling debris near the ground, flying debris, or any threatening weather approaching, take shelter immediately."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6936072.1718986689!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Job losses and killer robots: The 'Godfather of AI' describes plenty to fear, but there may be room for hope
University of Toronto computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton describes plenty to fear with AI, but with visions of combat drones, mass surveillance and robot overlords ahead, there may be space for hope.
'I'm sorry, I'm just frustrated': Video appears to show man spit on MP
A video circulating online appears to show MP and former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino get spat on while on his way into a government building in Ottawa.
4 people found dead in southwestern Ontario town of Harrow
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after four people were found dead in the town of Harrow, just south of Windsor. Officers were called to a residence on County Road 13 at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Thursday.
More than 100 stolen vehicles recovered in auto theft probe involving ServiceOntario employee: Toronto police
Toronto police say they have arrested four suspects and recovered more than 100 stolen vehicles as part of a months-long auto theft probe that involved a former ServiceOntario employee.
EXCLUSIVE ‘We were in danger’: Timmins, Ont., manhunt prompts questions from cottagers near shootout
Cottagers who live near the area where murder suspect Lucas MacDonald was captured say they didn't realize how much danger they were in.
Car dealerships in Canada, U.S. disrupted by multi-day outage after cyberattacks
CDK Global, a company that provides software for thousands of auto dealers in the U.S. and Canada, was hit by back-to-back cyberattacks on Wednesday. That led to an outage that continued to impact many of their operations on Friday.
Shiny monolith removed from mountains outside Las Vegas. How it got there is still a mystery
A strange monolith found jutting out of the rocks in a remote mountain range near Las Vegas has been taken down by authorities.
It's the longest bridge ever built in Peru, and so far, it goes nowhere
It is the longest bridge ever built in Peru, a massive structure of cement and iron spanning the Nanay River as it connects to untouched areas of the Peruvian Amazon. So far, it goes nowhere.
Skin cancer signs: How can you tell if a suspicious spot is serious?
Doctors say changes in the skin are normal as you age, from spots of various colours to dark streaks in nails. But sometimes, they're not innocuous.