Environment Canada issued a tornado warning for southern Quebec on Thursday prior to Thursday afternoon and evening.
Posted at 9:16 am. Updated at 10:20am
The affected regions are Montreal, Laval, Montérégie, Outaouais, Centre-du-Québec, Laurentides, Lanaudière and Mauricie.
In the event of a tornado or tornado warning, Environment Canada recommends going inside a building and choosing a room on the lowest level, away from windows and exterior walls. Suitable places could be a basement, a bathroom, a stairwell or an indoor closet.
If you’re in a vehicle, RV, tent, trailer, or other emergency shelter, it’s best to seek shelter in a sturdy building whenever possible, the federal agency said. As a last resort, lie low on the floor and protect your head from thrown objects.
Heavy thunderstorms are also expected with the risk of “strong gusts, large hail and heavy rain”. Heavy rainfall can cause flash floods and water accumulation on roads. “Nautical activities could prove hazardous due to the violent and sudden gusts blowing across bodies of water,” the federal agency adds.