Tornado warnings were briefly issued for a number of areas north of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) Wednesday as a band of severe thunderstorms moved east through Ontario.
At 9:28 p.m., Environment Canada meteorologists were tracking a thunderstorm near Bradford that was capable of possibly producing a tornado.
The warning, which covered Newmarket, Georgina and northern York Region, was cancelled within about half an hour. However, a severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect for those areas, with Environment Canada advising of strong wind gusts and up to toonie-size hail.
Tornado warnings were also in effect for Orillia and Muskoka earlier in the day.
Elsewhere, a severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Toronto and other parts of the province ahead of a cold front moving through the province, Environment Canada said.
The watch is in effect across the GTA as well as areas further north, including Barrie and cottage country.
“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain,” the national weather agency said in its advisory.
Environment Canada warned that wind gusts of up to 90 km/h and “Toonie-sized hail” are possible, along with a risk of a tornado.
“Thunderstorms will develop along a cold front that will move through the province this evening,” the national weather agency noted.