Environment Canada has issued a thunderstorm alert for the Toronto area and parts of southern Ontario Tuesday.
Heavy rain and thunder is forecast for Hamilton and Oakville, and the storm is expected to hit the Toronto region during the afternoon rush hour, tweeted Chris Scott, chief meteorologist for the Weather Network.
The CBC reported that several people were struck by lightning north of the city.
The Toronto area was hard-hit by thunderstorms nearly a year ago, when a sudden downpour caused major flooding. Power outages, flight cancellations and washed-out roads resulted in the most expensive natural disaster in Ontario history. A whopping 126 millimetres of rain was dumped on the city in just two hours, causing more than $850 million in damage.
Here's a look back at Toronto's extreme weather last year:
Toronto Flooding
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In this photo provided by Michael Li, water rises in a GO Train stranded on flooded tracks in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/Micheal Li via The Canadian Press) (credit:AP)
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Stranded passengers await rescue on a flooded GO Train in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
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A GO Train is stranded on flooded tracks in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Winston Neutel) (credit:AP)
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A GO Train is stranded on flooded tracks in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Winston Neutel) (credit:AP)
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A tow truck driver floats a car out of the Don Valley Parkway in Toronto on Monday, July 8 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
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A woman gets back into her flooded car on the Toronto Indy course on Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto on Monday, July 8 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
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A woman gets back in her car in flood water on Lakeshore West during a storm in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
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Stranded passengers are rescued from a flooded GO Train in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
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Stranded passengers are rescued from a flooded GO Train in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
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Stranded passengers are rescued from a flooded GO Train in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
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Stranded passengers are rescued from a flooded GO Train in Toronto on Monday, July 8, 2013. A severe thunderstorm forced the shutdown of Toronto's subways, cut power to 300,000 in Canada's largest city and caused Porter Airlines to cancel all flights out of the downtown airport Monday evening. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Frank Gunn) (credit:AP)
Toronto Apocalypse 2013(12 of44)
(credit:Flickr:mark.watmough)
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After the storm cleared, traffic heads out west of the downtown core. (credit:Kenny Yum)
Toronto Apocalypse 2013(14 of44)
(credit:Flickr:mark.watmough)
Toronto Apocalypse 2013(15 of44)
(credit:Flickr:mark.watmough)
Toronto Apocalypse 2013(16 of44)
(credit:Flickr:mark.watmough)
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Dave Pankew
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Dave Pankew
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Lakeshore and Spadina.
Union Station Tuesday(36 of44)
A little wet on Tuesday morning.
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(credit:Dave Pankew)
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(credit:Dave Pankew)
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(credit:Jeffrey Luscombe)