Heat alert issued as hot and dry conditions expected in Waterloo region, Guelph and area this weekend

It's going to be a hot, humid and dry weekend in Waterloo region, Guelph, Wellington County and area.

Temperatures are expected to be at 30 C or higher all weekend and overnight temperatures will bring little relief. 

On top of that, there's not much rain in the forecast.

Environment Canada has issued a heat warning for a "multi-day heat event" for southern Ontario beginning Saturday with hot conditions potentially lasting until Tuesday.

Meteorologist Crawford Luke told CBC News humidity levels are expected to be slightly less severe this weekend compared with previous heat waves this summer, making it feel like high 30s, potentially low 40s.

If possible, he said people who plan to be outside a lot over the next few days — such as those taking in Kitchener Blues Festival or other local events — should take frequent breaks, drink more water and try to periodically get under the shade or go indoors.

"Take it easy, listen to your body and don't overdo it," Luke said. 

The forecast as of Friday afternoon:

• Friday: Cloudy with a high of 29 C, humidex of 34. There's a 30 per cent chance of showers in the early evening and a risk of a thunderstorm. The overnight low will be 19 C.
• Saturday: Mix of sun and cloud. High of 32 C, humidex of 40. Overnight low of 17 C.
• Sunday: Sunny, high of 32 C, overnight low of 17 C.
• Monday: Sunny, high of 32 C, overnight low of 18 C.

"Slightly cooler temperatures are expected by the middle of next week, bringing an end to this heat event," the heat warning says.

Burn ban in Waterloo region

The dry conditions in Waterloo region are also expected to continue and that has prompted a fire ban in Kitchener, Cambridge and the four townships. Backyard fires are not permitted in Waterloo or Guelph.

The burn ban in the townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich went into effect on Thursday and it means any current fire permits are suspended until further notice and no new fire permits will be issued. This will also impact fires at campgrounds.

"The ban prohibits all fires except those set for the sole purpose of cooking food in a contained fire pit. Cooking fires should be attended constantly and extinguished completely after use," the townships said in a joint statement.

On Friday, Kitchener and Cambridge issued fire bans, meaning no backyard fires are permitted. Cambridge noted the ban is expected to remain in place "until such time as there is significant rainfall in the region."

Cambridge also noted that while the bylaw usually allows for cooking fires, that will not be the case during the fire ban.

Alexandra Cournoyer, a weather spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change Canada, says Waterloo region has seen about 25 to 50 mm less rain in the past month than what it should be normally for this time of year. The past three weeks there has been very little rain locally, she said.

This weekend, "mainly what we're going to get is a mix of sun and clouds. So there's no huge amount of precipitation that is forecasted, which is a little unfortunate because it's not going to help with this rainfall deficit," she said.

She said there could be pop-up showers or thunderstorms because of the heat, but "it's not going to be a huge amount of precipitation and it's really localized."

"The effect that it can have on the dryness could be really small," she said.

Where to cool down

Cooling spaces are available in Waterloo region and includes city hall locations, township offices, library branches as well as shopping malls.

Also listed as cooling centres are:

• Cambridge: City hall, all Cambridge Public Library locations, WG Johnson Centre, Region of Waterloo Public Health and Social Services building at 150 Main St.
• Kitchener: Activia Sportsplex, Breithaupt Centre, Bridgeport Community Centre, Centreville Chicopee Community Centre, Chandler Mowat Community Centre, Country Hills Community Centre, Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre, Country Hills Library at 1500 Block Line Rd. and Community Healthcaring K-W at 44 Francis St. S., Region of Waterloo administration building at 150 Frederick St., Region of Waterloo Public Health and Social Services building on Weber Street E.
• Waterloo: RIM Park, Albert McCormick Community Centre, Moses Springer Community Centre, Waterloo Memorial Recreation Centre, Region of Waterloo's Public Health and Social Services at 99 Regina St. S., and Waterloo Public Library branches.
• North Dumfries: Ayr branch of the Region of Waterloo Public Library, North Dumfries Community Complex.
• Wellesley: Linwood, St. Clements and Wellesley branches of the Region of Waterloo Public Library.
• Wilmot: Baden, New Dundee and New Hamburg branches of the Region of Waterloo Public Library and the Wilmot Recreation Complex.
• Woolwich: Bloomingdale, Breslau, Elmira, and St. Jacobs branches of the Region of Waterloo Public Library, the Breslau Community Centre and the Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira.
• Guelph: City hall, West End Community Centre, Victoria Road Recreation Centre, Evergreen Seniors Community Centre, all branches of the Guelph Public Library.

These spaces are open as cooling centres during regular business hours.

People who are exposed to extreme heat may feel:

• Dizziness or fainting.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Headache.
• Rapid breathing and heartbeat.
• Extreme thirst.
• Decreased urination.

Region of Waterloo Public Health recommends people drink plenty of liquids, especially water, and go in the shade to get out of the sun.

If someone is experiencing heat stroke, that's a medical emergency and 911 should be called. The person should be moved to a cool place, fan them and apply cold water to large areas of skin or clothing.

Don't leave people or pets in vehicles

Temperatures inside a vehicle can quickly become hotter than the temperature outside and cracking a window does not help, police say in reminding people not to leave anyone in a vehicle.

"If you see an animal in a hot car in distress and are concerned the animal's life is in danger, call 911 immediately, as this is an emergency. Do not attempt to enter a vehicle in these situations," the Waterloo Regional Police Service has said during previous heat waves this summer.

Local humane societies also remind pet owners to leave their animals at home during hot days.