Obviously Canada's climate is varied and changeable, but it's a safe
generalization to say that the areas near the coast or the Great Lakes
have milder winters and cooler summers than the interior. July and
August are reliably warm throughout the country, even in the far north,
making these the hottest but also the busiest months to visit. November
to March , by contrast, is an ordeal of sub-zero temperatures almost
everywhere except on the west coast, though winter days in many areas
are clear and dry, and all large Canadian towns are geared to the
challenge of cold conditions, with covered walkways and indoor malls
protecting their inhabitants from the worst of the weather.
More specifically, the Maritimes and eastern Canada have four distinct
seasons: chill, snowy winters; short, mild springs; warm summers (which
are shorter and colder in northern and inland regions); and long crisp
autumns. Summer is the key season in the resorts, though late September
and October, particularly in New Brunswick, are also popular for the
autumn colours. Coasts year-round can be blanketed in mist or fog.
In Ontario and Québec the seasons are also marked and the extremes
intense, with cold, damp and grey winters in southern Ontario (drier and
colder in Québec) and a long temperate spring from about April to June.
Summers can be hot, but often uncomfortably humid, with the cities often
empty of locals but full of visitors. The long autumn can be the best
time to visit, with equable temperatures and few crowds.
The central provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta experience
the country's wildest climatic extremes, suffering the longest, harshest
winters, but also some of the finest, clearest summers, punctuated by
fierce thunderstorms. Winter skiing brings a lot of people to the
Rockies , but summer is still the busiest time, especially in the
mountains, where July and August offer the best walking weather and the
least chance of rain, though this often falls in heavy downpours, the
mirror of winter's raging blizzards.
The southwestern parts of British Columbia enjoy some of Canada's best
weather: the extremes are less marked and the overall temperatures
generally milder than elsewhere. Much of the province, though, bears the
brunt of Pacific depressions, so this is one of the country's damper
regions - visiting between late spring and early autumn offers the best
chance of missing the rain.
Across the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut winters are
bitterly cold, with temperatures rarely above freezing for months on end,
though precipitation year-round is among the country's lowest. Summers,
by contrast, are short but surprisingly warm, and spring - though late -
can produce outstanding displays of wild flowers across the tundra.
Climate: Temperature and snowfall
Average daily max. temperatures in degrees Celsius Annual snowfall (cm)
Duration of cover (days)
|
Average daily max. temperatures
in degrees Celsius |
Annual snowfall (cm)
|
Duration of cover (days)
|
| |
Jan |
April |
July |
Oct |
|
|
|
Banff |
-7 |
8 |
22 |
10 |
251 |
149 |
|
Calgary |
-6 |
9 |
23 |
12 |
153 |
116 |
|
Charlottetown
|
-3 |
7 |
23 |
12 |
275 |
122 |
|
Edmonton |
-17 |
9 |
22 |
11 |
136 |
133 |
|
Goose Bay |
-12 |
3 |
21 |
7 |
445 |
188 |
|
Halifax |
-1 |
9 |
23 |
14 |
217 |
99 |
|
Inuvik |
-25 |
-8 |
19 |
-5 |
177 |
232 |
|
Montréal |
-6 |
11 |
26 |
13 |
243 |
116 |
|
Ottawa |
-6 |
11 |
26 |
13 |
206 |
121 |
|
Regina |
-13 |
9 |
26 |
12 |
87 |
134 |
|
Thunder Bay |
-9 |
8 |
24 |
11 |
213 |
132 |
|
Saint John |
-3 |
8 |
22 |
12 |
224 |
104 |
|
St John's |
0 |
5 |
21 |
11 |
322 |
109 |
|
Vancouver |
5 |
13 |
22 |
14 |
51 |
11 |
|
Whitehorse |
-16 |
6 |
20 |
4 |
78 |
170 |
|
Winnipeg |
-14 |
9 |
26 |
12 |
126 |
135 |
|
Yellowknife |
-25 |
-1 |
21 |
1 |
135 |
210
|
|
|
|
|
