It’s not every day Toronto is hotter than Dubai, but Monday, June 23, is one of those rare scorchers.
The city has been roasting under a heat wave for two straight days. On Sunday, Toronto Pearson Airport recorded a high of 35 C, with a humidex of 46 by 5 p.m. That brutal heat hasn’t let up.
According to Time and Date, as of 3 p.m. ET Monday, Toronto had reached 35 C, tying with global hotspots like Dubai, Madrid, and New York.
The 6ix cracked the list of the world’s hottest major cities, joining Philadelphia (36 C), Doha (39 C), and Riyadh (36 C). The highest temperature recorded was a blistering 44 C in Kuwait City.
The city even outranked notoriously hot destinations like Miami (31 C), Kingston, Jamaica (31 C), and Las Vegas (29 C).
Even Caribbean and southern U.S. cities didn’t measure up. Havana, Cuba, and Nassau, The Bahamas, sat at 30 C, while New Orleans and Dallas hovered around 32 C.
Toronto isn’t the only Canadian city on the list, as Montreal and Ottawa are both 34 C.
The hottest cities in the world
As of 3 p.m. on Monday, June 23
- Kuwait City, Kuwait — 44 C
- Doha, Qatar — 39 C
- Philadelphia, U.S. — 36 C
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — 36 C
- Washington D.C., U.S. — 36 C
- Dubai, U.A.E. — 35 C
- Madrid, Spain — 35 C
- New York, U.S. — 35 C
- Toronto, Canada — 35 C
- Belgrade, Serbia — 34 C
- Chicago, U.S. — 34 C
- Detroit, U.S. — 34 C
- Montreal, Canada — 34 C
- Ottawa, Canada — 34 C
- Atlanta, U.S. — 33 C
- Lahore, Pakistan — 33 C
Environment Canada issued a heat warning for Toronto on Monday morning, with dangerously hot and humid conditions expected to last through Tuesday night. Daytime highs could reach 36 C on Monday, with humidex values pushing 46. Even overnight, temperatures won’t dip much — staying between 22 C and 25 C.
Officials are urging Torontonians to take precautions. Heat-related illnesses can set in quickly, so it’s essential to watch for early symptoms like dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, or dark urine.
If someone shows signs of heat stroke — including red, hot skin, confusion, or fainting — call 911 immediately and try to cool them down with cold water or ice packs or move them to a shaded or air-conditioned area.
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