Thousands of residents are currently facing power outages on Thursday following a series of intense summer thunderstorms in Ottawa-Gatineau. The region experienced severe storms throughout Wednesday, with a particularly strong one hitting around 10:30 p.m.
Residents recounted the sudden onset of heavy rain and strong winds, with one individual mentioning a tree falling on their home, causing significant damage. Another resident reported hail accumulating up to four to six centimetres on their deck.
The Ottawa International Airport weather station recorded 22 millimetres of rainfall in just 26 minutes on Wednesday night, along with a peak wind gust of 107 km/h, the strongest since the May 2022 derecho event.
Despite an early thunderstorm watch issued on Wednesday afternoon, no official warning was issued until the storm was already underway. Meteorologist Peter Kimbell noted that the severity of the storm caught many off guard due to the delayed warning.
As of 2:00 p.m. Thursday, approximately 6,100 customers in Ottawa and 5,000 in Gatineau were without power. The affected areas include Woodroffe Avenue, Merivale Road, and Aylmer. Hydro Ottawa and Hydro-Québec reported significant outages, with more than 25,000 and 20,000 customers affected, respectively.
The region experienced additional rainfall on Monday, adding to the already record-breaking precipitation in July. The severe weather events have caused ongoing challenges for residents, with many still recovering from previous storms.