rain shaft toronto

Toronto was hit with a monster rain shaft yesterday and the photos are wild

The August long weekend was wet and wild in Toronto this year, to be certain, but not in the fun, beachy way many people envision the holiday.

From overcast drizzles and torrential downpours to full-on tornado sightings, Southern Ontario has seen its fair share of active weather over the past three days.

For the Greater Toronto Area, specifically, this culminated in the form of a massive rain shaft on Monday afternoon.

Described by meteorologists as "a column of precipitation that is found underneath a convective storm," a rain shaft resembles a sci-fi depiction of aliens beaming up an entire neighbourhood.

In other words, it's terrifying... but also beautiful to behold.

The apocalyptic-looking shelf was undoubtedly the highlight of this weekend's storm series for some.

Stunning photos of the weather phenomenon emerged on Twitter and Instagram as the shaft moved slowly throughout the GTA late Monday afternoon.

Videos shot from highrise balconies showed the storm swallowing homes as it approached.

And once the rain hit, it hit hard.

This, just one day after severe thunderstorms are thought to have dumped around 70 millimetres of rain on the GTA.

We did need the moisture, fortunately, and more is said to be on the way.

Storms could continue to do as we move into the work week, according to The Weather Network, thanks in part to pressure from the tropical storm Isaias.

"Ontario continues to experience the rainy effects of a low-pressure system that's slowly moving across the east," wrote the network in an update on Tuesday morning.

"The storms, that are spanning the province, will continue through Tuesday due to a ridge in the Atlantic. Ontario is also experiencing pressure from tropical storm Isaias, which gives added instability and risk of storms."

Lead photo by

Ryan J. Hobson


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

Invasive insect menace is now being spotted in Ontario and could cost billions

Mysterious Parisian-style pavilion in Toronto hides abandoned secret tunnel

Canadians could be getting even more money from the feds next week

Deadline approaches for Canadians to claim part of $1.8M Nissan settlement

Ontario Place bulldozed under cover of darkness and people are livid

German neighbourhood has streets named after Toronto and other Canadian cities

Here's when Toronto could get its first snowfall of the year

Ontario child dies of rabies after contact with bat in their home