Toronto faces coldest late May in more than 50 years

The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't been the only disappointment in Toronto this May. 

Two-thirds of the way through spring, Mother Nature has decided to continue leaving Torontonians in the cold. 

CBC meteorologist Colette Kennedy says the city is experiencing its coldest late May since the last time the Leafs won the Stanley Cup — 58 years ago. Despite that, she says temperatures haven't been extreme.

"Daily records for low temperatures at this time of year are around the freezing mark. Even with the chilly start we had on Tuesday, it was still just over three degrees," she said in an interview Thursday. 

"But still, a stretch of days this chilly in May we have not experienced since 1967."

The cold weather comes just days after a warm Victoria Day weekend in the city, with temperatures soaring to 27 C.

Kennedy says what's causing the cold, windy and wet weather is an area of low pressure currently parked over the city. She says it is slowly migrating east and is largely in a "stuck" pattern, meaning the wind is unable to move this weather along.

She says overnight lows have been closer to seasonal, but daytime highs have been cooler than usual. 

"If we look at data for the 30-year period of 1991 to 2020, a seasonal daily high is 20 C, and we are struggling to reach even half of that," said Kennedy. 

Torontonians will see some improvement this weekend, but temperatures do not warm up until Monday, which will see a high of 18 C, according to Environment Canada.

But Kennedy says people can still expect a warm summer in the city. 

According to Environment Canada's long-range temperature forecast for June, July and August, there's an 84 per cent chance temperatures in Toronto will be above average during those months, Kennedy says. 

City placed under rainfall warning on Thursday

The city's dealing with more than just cold this week.

Toronto was placed under a rainfall warning on Thursday, as a total of 50 to 60 millimetres of rain was expected. 

Environment Canada said on Thursday that the rain is expected to continue into Friday with some additional amounts. 

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority said in a statement Wednesday that flooding is not expected, but all rivers within the GTA could experience higher than normal water levels and greater flows due to the rainfall.

The combination of slippery and unstable banks and changing water levels could create hazardous conditions near rivers or other water bodies, the agency says. 

"All shorelines, rivers and streams within the GTA should be considered dangerous as this rainfall will result in higher flows and rapidly changing water levels," said the TRCA.

The TRCA is recommending people avoid all recreational activities in or around water at this time, including fishing, canoeing, and hiking, as conditions can change quickly.

It is also asking people to avoid areas already experiencing erosion or blockages with debris, and keep children and pets away from banks, as they may be slippery and unstable.