Weather

Hot and Cold: Weather in Canada

Canadians spend more money on clothes than any other country, according to Environment Canada. The reason? Canadian weather.

In Canada, you will find rain, snow, ice, wind, humidity and everything in between. Temperatures may soar above 30°C in the summer, and plummet below –30°C in winter. In other words, Canadians dress for the climate.

Despite these extremes, Canadian weather is as varied as the landscape. During winter, it may drizzle in Vancouver, but snow in the Rocky Mountains. Meanwhile, Chinook winds from the West warm the frozen prairies. And East Coast fog forces motorists in Halifax to slow down.

Climate fascinates Canadians. It is a favourite topic of discussion, fuelled by weather reports on TV, radio, and the Internet. Canadians monitor the weather closely, especially in winter when bad weather can shut down a community.

Canadians enjoy the weather. High temperatures turn Canada into to a summer playground, excellent for sports and outdoor recreation. A whopping 39 per cent of Canada’s annual precipitation is snow. In the winter, B.C. and Quebec mountains draw skiers from around the world.

Canadians also celebrate the weather. In autumn, they flock to parks to see the trees turn brilliant red, orange, and yellow. Millions of ducks and Canadian geese fly overhead, migrating south. Meanwhile, cold temperatures drive much wildlife into hibernation for the winter.

This section is about weather in Canada, in all of its incarnations.