The violent storm that tore through the Greater Toronto Area on the afternoon of Sept. 2 has been confirmed as one of the most extreme weather events on record for the region, with record rainfall, 100 km/h winds, large hail and tens of thousands of power outages.
Frequency reported that the storm left a heavy mark across the GTA: flooding, downed trees, damaged buildings and electricity cuts affecting tens of thousands of customers.
A record-setting rainfall
Rainfall totals across parts of Toronto ranged between 60 and 110 millimetres, making Sept. 2 the wettest day in the city's recorded history.
Experts classified the event as a centennial storm — an extreme phenomenon with only a one per cent chance of occurring in any given year.
Wind gusts reached 100 kilometres per hour, and large hail accompanied the torrential rain as the system moved through the region.
Second-busiest day ever for Toronto Fire
According to the authorities, Toronto firefighters responded to nearly 1,500 emergency calls in just 24 hours — the second-highest volume in the history of the service, surpassed only by the 2013 ice storm.
Crews carried out rescues on flooded roadways, in elevators, in damaged buildings and at unstable structures as the storm battered the city.
Roads closed across the region
Flooding forced the closure of the Don Valley Parkway at the height of the deluge.
In Vaughan, a massive crater opened in a roadway, prompting officials to shut the road down while repairs were arranged.
Power outages and cleanup
At the storm's peak, roughly 65,000 customers in Toronto were without electricity.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said the city was prepared for the event and thanked emergency services for their work through the barrage of calls.
Despite the hundreds of emergency responses logged across the city, no deaths or serious injuries were reported in connection with the storm.
