toronto weather

People fear not being able to stand Toronto after new tool projects wild weather changes

If you have complaints about Toronto's heat during the summer months now, just wait until a few decades into the future when experts predict our high-temperature and too-humid-to-handle days will be far more plentiful.

A new weather projection tool released by the CBC this week has people in the city talking — namely about if they'll be able to endure the city's conditions as the climate changes in the coming years.

According to predictions, Toronto could see 84 days per year where heat and humidity combine for a humidex value of 35 C or more by 2071 if the world does not make any big changes to its fossil fuel use and other bad habits that have had an undoubtable, and now more quantifiable and qualifiable, impact on the planet.

The outlet estimates that if the world takes a "middle of the road" approach to reducing carbon emissions, the city could see closer to 51 of these sweltering days a year by 2071. And if we shift to more sustainable practices, we would see closer to 37.

This is all compared to the average of 12 days annually between 1981 and 2010 that felt like 35 C or more in the metropolis.

As the experts note, "a humidex above 35 is considered to be high for the average healthy adult... that’s when it's generally recommended to tone down outdoor physical activity to prevent heatstroke."

With this in mind, many are chiming in with comments of "I will die" and "that's terrifying" in reaction to these potentially forthcoming long, red-hot summers, especially as they'll be in their more senior years by then.

As one person noted in a buzzing Reddit conversation about what our government could do to prevent this grim future: "can't wait to slowly die of heatstroke while a politician tells me climate change isn't real. Bright days are ahead."

Lead photo by

Phil Marion


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