An “extremely dangerous” severe thunderstorm tore through Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, unleashing heavy rain, golf ball-sized hail, and destructive winds. The storm triggered widespread flooding, large-scale power outages, and downed trees and wires across the city. Within hours, the Toronto severe thunderstorm had turned major roads into rivers and left thousands without electricity.

Drivers were caught off guard as floodwaters rose quickly on key routes. Several motorists had to be rescued from vehicles that became submerged in the rising water. Meanwhile, destructive winds ripped power lines from poles, uprooted trees, and even tore roofing off buildings across the GTA.

Flooding and Power Outages Disrupt the GTA

The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds that battered Toronto for hours. As a result, flooding spread across the city, trees came down, and power outages left neighbourhoods in the dark. Emergency crews scrambled to respond as conditions worsened block by block.

A CP24 viewer captured dramatic footage showing a TTC bus flooding in real time. Floodwater rushed into the vehicle, and passengers lifted their feet to avoid getting soaked. According to the viewer, the incident happened around 5:30 p.m. near Sheppard Avenue West on a southbound 7 Bathurst bus.

Power troubles followed close behind the flooding. At the peak of the outage, roughly 65,000 customers lost electricity across the city. Toronto Hydro later confirmed that crews had restored power to 20,000 customers, though 45,000 remained without power as repair work continued into the evening.

A Toronto Hydro spokesperson addressed the ongoing recovery effort directly. “Safety remains our top priority as crews respond to reported hazards, including downed powerlines and damaged electrical equipment, while restoring service as safely and quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said. They added: “We have added additional resources to support customers as we experience high call volumes and remain committed to supporting those impacted by the storm and keeping customers informed throughout the restoration effort.”

Emergency services across the GTA also responded to widespread flooding on roads and highways. The Don Valley Parkway (DVP) was shut down entirely because of the conditions. Additionally, parts of Allen Road, Lake Shore Boulevard West, and the Gardiner Expressway were closed to traffic.

Emergency Alerts and Tornado Warnings Spread Across Ontario

As the storm intensified, emergency alerts were pushed directly to residents’ phones. Broadcasters also interrupted regular programming on TVs and radios to share the warnings. Officials urged everyone in the storm’s path to seek shelter indoors immediately.

The severe weather was not limited to Toronto alone. Thunderstorms also rolled through other parts of southern Ontario, prompting Environment Canada to issue numerous weather advisories. Notably, these included tornado red warnings for several regions in the storm’s path.

An Environment Canada meteorologist spoke with CTV News Toronto before the storm fully hit the city. The meteorologist said there was a “good chance” of one or two brief tornado reports from across southwestern Ontario or southern Ontario. That assessment underscored just how volatile the atmosphere had become that day.

Dramatic video also captured the moment dark clouds descended over the city ahead of the storm. The footage showed the sky shifting rapidly as the “dangerous thunderstorm” approached, giving residents a brief warning before conditions deteriorated. Shortly after, the storm leveled parts of the GTA.

By 8 p.m., however, the situation had started to improve. All weather alerts for Toronto were eventually lifted as the system moved through the region. Still, cleanup and power restoration efforts continued well into the night across affected neighbourhoods.

CNE Closes Early as Severe Weather Disrupts Events

The storm also disrupted major public events happening in the city that day. In an Instagram post, officials with the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) announced an early closure for safety reasons. “Due to ongoing severe weather conditions impacting the operation of the CNE and for the safety of our staff, partners, and guests, we will be closing the grounds at 7 p.m. and buildings at 8 p.m.,” the post read.

Scheduled entertainment was cancelled as a direct result of the closure. BRKN Love and Finger Eleven had been set to perform at the Bell Soundstage at the Bandshell. However, organizers cancelled both performances once the severe weather forced the grounds to shut down early.

Overall, the storm’s impact stretched across transportation, power infrastructure, and public events in a single afternoon. Consequently, thousands of residents faced flooded commutes, outages, and cancelled plans all at once. As crews continued restoration work, the storm served as a stark reminder of how quickly severe weather can disrupt daily life in a major city.