End to Toronto heat wave in sight with cooler Friday in forecast

There's an end in sight for the heat wave gripping Toronto, but the city will still keep its pools open late to keep people cool while it lingers.

Environment Canada says acold front is expected to pass over the city on Thursday night, breaking a stretch ofextreme heat that startedlast Friday.

Gerald Cheng, a Toronto-based meteorologist with Environment Canada, says the extended heat warning will finally come to an end.

"We're really going to feel the effects Friday. That's when the temperature will not be 30 C anymore. It will go back to the high 20s," he said.

"The humidity will be gone at least after the cold front passes. It will be much more comfortable. It will be a drastic change from what we are experiencing now."

On Friday, the high temperature is forecast to be 28 C, while the low temperature is forecast to be 14 C.

The developing cold front is coming from the U.S. midwest, Cheng added.

City extends swimming hours

The city, meanwhile, has extended hours at eight pools to help people keep cool on Tuesday. The city says Tuesday is the third consecutive day that pool hours have been extended.

Weather permitting, the following locations will be openuntil11:45 p.m.:

• Alexandra Park,275BathurstSt.
• Alex Duff Pool,779 Crawford St.
• GiovanniCabotoPool,1367 St. Clair Ave. W.
• McGregorPark,2231 Lawrence Ave. E.
• Monarch Park,115FelsteadAve.
• Parkway Forest, 55 Forest Manor Rd.
• Smithfield Park,175 Mount Olive Dr.
• SunnysidePark/Gus Ryder Pool,1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.

The extended hours are in effect for Tuesday only.

The city says it extendspool hours when an extended heat warning is in place based on the weather risk.

Heat to stick around for a few more days

The current forecast calls for daytime highs in the low to mid 30sthrough to Thursday. Humidex values will hover near40on Wednesday and Thursday.

Overnight low temperatures are expected to be in the low20s, except high teens in some rural areas, providing "little or no relief from the heat."

On Tuesday, Environment Canada is calling for a high temperature of 31 C, although the humidity could make it feel like 34.

"Basically, we'restaying in the same air mass. There's slight moderation to the temperature. It's not as stifling as the weekend. It's still above 30 C and overnight lows are still staying 20 C or above," said Cheng.

"The heat warning is still in effect. And there's more heat to come basically forthe next two days, until the cold front slices through the area to bring a bit of relief Thursday night into Friday."

On Thursday, the weathercould be stormy, with a chance of showers and possibly thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, but on Friday, the weather will be more bearable, he said.