It’s officially fall, but it’s going to feel like the height of the summer this weekend.
Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for Ottawa and much of eastern and southern Ontario.
High temperatures in Ottawa are forecast to reach between 30 and 32 degrees Saturday and Sunday, with humidex values making it feel more like 40.
Those temperatures, if reached, will break heat records.
The highest recorded temperatures at the Ottawa Airport for September 23 and 24 are 28.9°C and 28.5°C, respectively.
The extreme heat brings with it a risk of heat-related illness, especially to young children, seniors, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. It also presents the real danger of death for people and pets left in cars.
The City of Ottawa says the majority of splash pads will re-open this weekend to help residents cool off. In a statement, the city announced “as a result of the beautiful weather we have been experiencing, the splash pad season has been extended.”
Ottawa’s public beaches remain closed for the season.