Environment Canada issues severe thunderstorm watches in southwestern Ontario

Environment Canada is urging people in a large swath of southwestern Ontario to be on the lookout for severe storms on Tuesday.

The federal forecaster has issued severe thunderstorm watches for the Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, and Sarnia-Lambton areas.

It's a downgrade from the afternoon, when Environment Canada issued storm warnings for the region. But conditions are still "favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts and heavy rain," the watches said.

The areas could experience torrential downpours and up to 90 km/h wind gusts into the evening, Environment Canada said.

It urged people to go inside if they hear thunder and to "take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches."

The regions remain under heat warnings as well.