Heavy rain, thunderstorms, flooding slam Toronto area

Heavy downpoursand thunderstormshit the GTA,causingflooding in some areasafterEnvironment Canada issued aspecial weather statementFriday afternoon.

Since then, the federal agencyhas extended thatstatement to include the following GTAareas:

• Newmarket
• Georgina
• Northern York Region
• Pickering
• Oshawa
• Southern Durham Region
• Uxbridge
• Beaverton
• Northern Durham Region
• Vaughan
• Richmond Hill
• Markham

GO Transit is asking commuters heading to Union Station to give themselves extra time as a result of flooding in the area.

The TTCsays thereis no service on Line 3 (ScarboroughRT)due toflooding. Shuttle buses will be available for commuters.

The TTCalso says there are major delays between Long Branch Loop and HumberLoop because of the flooding.

Some users on Twitter have reported that some roads in the city have also started to flood after the rainstorm began this afternoon.

The city says that parts of the Don Valley Parkway are blocked due to rising water levels.

Traffic is also moving slowly on Lake Shore Boulevard due to flooding around the Exhibition grounds. Water is reportedly half way up carwheels.

The westbound Lake Shore rampto the westbound GardinerExpressway by the HumberRiver is also affected by flooding.

Much of GTA affected

Apart from the special weather statement, a rainfall warning had also been issuedby Environment Canada forseveral GTAareas, but it ended around 10:40 Friday evening.

Some storms will be "very slow moving,"and certain areas could get more than 50 mm of rain.

The statement runs in conjunction with a rainfall warning issued forToronto.

Toronto's Pearson International Airport has askedtravellers this evening to check their flight status due tothunderstorms in the forecast.

The storm comes just days after Toronto was overwhelmed by a sudden rainstorm.

The city has warned on Twitter that a flash flood can happen without warning and is asking people to keep away from low-lying areas as well as large bodies of water.

It is also asking motorists to avoid flooded roads, use extra caution and allow themselves extra time when commuting.

The city also says that its storm readiness plan is in place and that city crews will be responding to 311 flooding calls.