Published on Jun. 12, 2026, 11:53 PM
Updated on Jun. 13, 2026, 11:53 AM
Ontario’s unsettled weekend could bring hail, gusty storms and widespread soaking rains
A sneaky thunderstorm threat is forming across parts of Ontario on Saturday as a cold front approaches the Great Lakes. This isn’t the typical midsummer setup, fueled by extreme heat and humidity.
Forecasters are instead looking at a “high-shear, low-CAPE” environment, which has limited storm energy but stronger winds aloft that are capable of helping storms organize.
A few thunderstorms with strong winds and large hail cannot be ruled out.
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Quiet setup with notable impacts
Storms are projected to develop Saturday afternoon in northeastern Ontario, including near Sudbury, before moving east toward North Bay and south toward Lake Simcoe and Peterborough around dinnertime.
A widespread severe weather threat does exist across the region, including cottage country, where changes in wind speeds and directions with height may cause some storms to rotate briefly. The primary threats, however, will be strong winds, large hail and heavy downpours.
The thunderstorm risk is expected to persist into Saturday evening in eastern Ontario.