Weather advisory issued for Windsor-Essex as temperatures set to soar Tuesday

On the heels of a hot May long weekend, Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for hot and humid conditions expected in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent Tuesday.

But according to a meteorologist, this is about the time heat normally ramps up in Windsor.

The agency says "hot and humid weather" is expected, with high temperatures reaching 31 C and overnight minimums near 21 C.

There is a 40 per cent chance of showers Tuesday afternoon, according to the weather agency, and with the humidity it will feel like 37. Thunderstorms are possible overnight.

Cooler temperatures will sweep through on Wednesday when rain and thunderstorms are possible. Because of this, it's unlikely the conditions will reach the threshold for a heat warning, Environment Canada says.

"These conditions pose a health risk when you are not used to the heat. Everyone is at risk from heat, especially older adults, infants and young children and people with chronic illnesses," the weather agency said in a statement.

High temperatures are in store for the area on Tuesday. (Melissa Nakhavoly/CBC)

Trudy Kidd is a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada. She says the criteria for a heat warning differs depending on where you are in the country, but warnings often come with high heat over two days.

"A heat warning comes into effect [for this region] when we're expecting a high temperature of 31 C or more and then a low temperature overnight of 21 C or warmer, and then another day of 31 C, because it's really that cumulative effect that can really be hazardous for people," Kidd said.

"When it comes to a special weather statement, those are often sent out for one-day heat events ... Often at the beginning of the season we'll also do special weather statements because people aren't used to that kind of heat."

The weather falls short of a heat warning because temperatures are expected to cool slightly Wednesday, even if just to about 29 C, Kidd said.

Residents should remember to drink plenty of cool water even before they feel thirsty and keep cool by dressing for the weather and spending time in cool places.

Hot weather can also cause deterioration in air quality.

It isn't early in the year for this type of heat warning: In 2020, 2021 and 2022, Windsor-Essex either had a heat warning or special weather statement between May 21 and the end of May.

Kidd says that it is shaping up to be a warmer-than-normal summer in Windsor-Essex — but they can't predict the number of hot weather events or how warm it's going to get.

"It's a good reminder for folks out there to just brush up ... know where to where you're going to be able to go when there is a heat warning. Do you have a library close by that's open, a mall that you can get to, that kind of thing," Kidd said. "Those overnight temperatures, when they stay warm like that, they can be pretty miserable. So yeah, it's a it's a good reminder to everyone out there to get prepared."

The region had its first tornado of the year — and the first in Canada for the season — in Amherstburg in March. While an early tornado isn't necessarily an indicator of what is to come, one expert with the Norther Tornadoes Project says heat is an indicator.

"One of the things that you need to create a tornado is atmospheric instability and typically the best way to get atmospheric instability is through heat," said Connell Miller.