The late spring heatwave is winding down, but is summer summer in Cornwall next?

Content of the article

This is all for now.

Content of the article

Rains late Thursday began to trigger the first heat wave of the season across eastern Ontario and much of the eastern and central parts of the continent. But with Thursday being the first day of summer, there’s likely to be more where that came from over the next couple of months.

“It’s been a hot week, four days in a row, but it’s going to take a break tonight,” said Tim Ouderkirk, foreman of a full-time Cornwall Gravel paving crew working on Sydney Street Thursday afternoon.

Cornwall set a new daily heat record for the date on Tuesday at 33C. Thursday was the third day in a row of 30+C heat, with a high of 32C in the early afternoon, but humidity making it feel closer to 35C.

Environment Canada’s Thursday afternoon update said the extended heat event continues with dangerously hot and humid conditions, but Friday temperatures should be a few degrees cooler.

Content of the article

For Ouderkirk and his crew, there will be weeks like this – long hours in difficult conditions and with a main ingredient of tarmac that is hot to begin with – it’s to be expected. So how it is managed is most important.

“Drink plenty of water, take micro-breaks when you can,” Ouderkirk said. “But you’re still here a lot of hours – eventually you have to have enough hours to get the job done.”

Environment Canada said warm, humid air can also bring deterioration in air quality and cause the air quality health index to approach the high-risk category. Health risks are greater for older adults, infants and young children, pregnant women, people with physical and/or mental illnesses, and people with disabilities or mobility problems.

Content of the article

While excessive heat can be dangerous to human health, cold weather is far more deadly. According to a 2021 study published in The Lancet Planetary Health, for every heat-related death, nine are cold-related.

This week in Cornwall for those who don’t get out as many hours as the cobbles and roofs could have felt a lot more oppressive. There was at least some cloud cover most of the time as well as a decent westerly breeze, especially on Wednesday.

Friday’s high of 26C should feel a lot more like early summer as that is the average temperature in these parts for this time of year.

On Thursday, the City of Cornwall continued to remind everyone to prioritize safety and try to stay cool. She advised visiting air-conditioned venues such as the civic complex, Benson Center or Cornwall Public Library and noted that the city’s splash pads are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Content of the article