OTTAWA -- Environment Canada’s top weather forecaster says Ottawa is sweating through what could be the “longest bout” of consecutive days with temperatures above 30C in history.

The temperature has hit 30C for eight consecutive days in Ottawa, with the forecast calling for a high of 35C on Thursday. With the humidex, it will feel like 42 degrees in Ottawa on Thursday.

“July 1 to now, eight days in a row and we have still three days to come. so probably the longest bout of 30C temperatures in Ottawa in history,” said David Phillips, Environment Canada senior climatologist during an interview with CTV Morning Live.

“Earlier in June, there was a period of seven of those days. I’ve looked back over the history, and I can’t find a longer stretch of hot days in Ottawa.”

Phillips says Friday “might be” the hottest day of summer, with the forecast calling for a high of 35C.

“It’s just relentless. It just won’t go away,” Phillips said about the hot and humid weather.

Ottawa has had 17 days with temperatures above 30C so far this year.

“These temperatures we’re talking about, 35C today and tomorrow, these are shaded temperatures. You go out in the that sun in the ByWard Market, you can add another eight degrees to it,” said Phillips.

“Stay in the shade.”

The City of Ottawa is opening emergency cooling centres through Friday for residents to get some relief from the heat.  The cooling centres will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

  • Bernard-Grandmaître Arena, 309 McArthur Road
  • Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, 102 Greenview Avenue
  • Heron Road Community Centre, 1480 Heron Road
  • Jules Morin Park Fieldhouse, 400 Clarence Street East

The McNabb Arena on Percy Street will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

While the forecast calls for temperatures to be a “little cooler” on the weekend, Phillips says it won’t be the end of the hot and humid weather this summer.

“It’s short lived. We see next week, we’re back up into the 30s again,” said Phillips.

“We’ll be counting these days of hot weather.  Two weeks from now is what we call the ‘Dog Days of Summer’ in Ottawa, this is when the temperature typically reaches its highest point and we’ll be counting these days until Labour Day. This is the sign of the summer of 2020; it’s just hot, hot, hot!”