Damaging storms sweep across Ontario causing flooding, power outages in Toronto area

Severe storms cut across the Greater Toronto Area late Wednesday afternoon, causing widespread power outages and localized flooding as an intense weather system brought torrential rain, large hail and the risk of a tornado to wide swaths of southern Ontario.

The weather office issued multiple emergency alerts for extreme weather in parts of the GTA as skies darkened to almost nighttime levels over the city’s downtown and hail pummelled neighbourhoods further north.

Subway service was suspended on a stretch of one of Toronto’s main lines during the afternoon rush hour due to flooding, as police responded to multiple reports of fallen trees and downed power lines across the city. The sound of emergency alerts rang out inside Toronto subway train cars held up by flooding at multiple stations.

Under one overpass in the downtown core, at least two partially submerged vehicles were abandoned in the floodwater Wednesday evening as police cordoned off the area. Toronto police also issued a hazard alert on social media about flooding on the Don Valley Parkway, a major city artery.

Outside the city, there were reports of damaged buildings, including a destroyed roof in Brampton, Ont.

Toronto Hydro said approximately 65,000 customers were without power as of Wednesday evening.

“We are responding to reported hazards, including downed power lines and damaged electrical equipment, while co-ordinating restoration efforts across the city,” the utility said in a social media post.

“Given the scale of the storm and the number of outages, restoration efforts may take time and vary by location,” it said.

The storm caused numerous flight delays at Toronto’s Pearson airport.

“Passengers are encouraged to check their flight status directly with their airline before travelling to the airport,” it said in a post on X.

The Salt-N-Pepa concert at the outdoor RBC Amphitheatre in Toronto was also postponed due to severe weather.

Videos from across the region shared on social media showed large hail pummelling cars in parking lots, flooding transit stations and sending people running for cover.

A severe weather alert stretched from near Sarnia east to Peterborough and north to Barrie, with areas such as Windsor and parts of cottage country under a yellow watch earlier in the day.

Environment Canada said hard-hit areas could see torrential downpours, ping pong-sized hail and wind gusts up to 110 kilometres an hour.

The primary concern was the possibility for damaging winds and torrential rains.

The storm came after parts of Ontario were lit up with lightning strikes and inundated by heavy rains by passing storms Wednesday morning.