Environment Canada issues severe thunderstorm warning

Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding areas.

Locations impacted include St. Joseph Island, Neebish, Bar River, MacLennan, McCluskie Lake, Desbarats Lake, Bog Lake and Portlock.

The full Environment Canada press release is included below.

Severe thunderstorm warning in effect for:

• Sault Ste. Marie - St. Joseph Island

At 1:39 p.m. EDT, Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm capable of producing very strong wind gusts, up to toonie size hail and heavy rain.

This severe thunderstorm is located 19 kilometres west of St. Joseph Island, moving northeast at 60 km/h.

Locations impacted include:
St. Joseph Island, Neebish, Bar River, MacLennan, McCluskie Lake, Desbarats Lake, Bog Lake and Portlock.

Take cover immediately, if threatening weather approaches. Large hail can damage property and cause injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles. Remember, severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes. Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!

Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued when imminent or occurring thunderstorms are likely to produce or are producing one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.

The Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management recommends that you take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to [email protected] or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

For more information: http://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/beprepared/beprepared.html.