Climate Canada
With such an enormous territory, Canada has a wide variety of climates, depending on the distance from the ocean: coastal cities have a milder climate than those in the middle of the country. The mood of Canadians is perfectly in tune with the weather pattern, fluctuating according to temperature, precipitation and Mother Nature's little excesses.
Although summer is beautiful and warm in many parts of the country, it is winter that is the most memorable, especially for international visitors and expatriates. Experiencing winter for the first time is certainly a life-changing experience. Snow, cold and wind can make you fear the worst, but you not only get used to it, you enjoy it, provided you are well dressed. But all is not so idyllic, as Canada - like everywhere else - is undergoing the impacts of climate change.
The Big Picture of Canada's Climate
The country is divided into seven distinct climatic zones, each influenced by various factors such as proximity to major bodies of water (oceans, Great Lakes...), altitude and latitude.
West Coast. It benefits from a microclimate due to its geographical location between the Pacific Ocean and the Rockies. In winter, the temperature varies between 0°C and 15°C with generous precipitation in the form of rain, while in summer, the weather is dry and the temperatures are also very pleasant (around 25°C).
Cordillera region. The climate differs greatly depending on geographic location: the valleys of southern British Columbia have the driest climates in the country, while permanent ice caps are found at higher elevations, notably in the Yukon. This region also experiences a particular phenomenon, the Chinook, a warm wind from the Pacific. Loaded with moisture, the wind rises as it meets the Cordillera, causing clouds and precipitation on the west side, and as it descends towards the Prairies, the temperature suddenly rises on the east side.
Prairies. A land of contrasts, the summers are very hot and the winters are particularly harsh and windy. Above or below average conditions are common and recur in a cyclical fashion. Another cyclical phenomenon is years of rain and floods followed by severe drought.
Great Lakes. In summer, warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico dominates and the passage of cold fronts can trigger fairly severe thunderstorms. The southern part of the region enjoys a lot of sunshine and warmth. Winter here is milder than in the continental areas further from the shore, and snowstorms can change to freezing rain or even rain further south. Coastal areas often experience snow squalls caused by the prevailing wind called the Snow Belt.
East Coast. The humid climate of the southern St. Lawrence and Atlantic fringe results in a heavy, muggy atmosphere in summer and heavy snow, fog and storms in winter. The Atlantic Provinces receive more precipitation year-round, especially in Newfoundland, and temperature variations are less extreme than in Quebec.
Subarctic and Arctic zones. The subarctic climate is found in the center, in the Canadian Shield, and brings harsh winters and short, cool summers. Precipitation generally occurs in summer, although it also occurs in winter in Ungava-Labrador, which receives more snow than the Northwest. In the Arctic climate of the far north, winter dominates most of the year with temperatures as low as 10°C in summer. There is little annual precipitation, causing what is known as the Arctic drought.
The midnight sun and the polar night
Both phenomena occur in the northern and southernmost regions of the world, more precisely in the polar circles. Thus, the number of days of continuous sunshine or darkness increases as one progresses northward: from a duration of 24 hours at its lowest latitude, it reaches six months at the North Pole. Needless to say, these phenomena should be taken into account by anyone planning a trip to the Canadian Far North.
What is wind chill and humidex?
In Canada, if you check the weather news or an app like The Weather Network, you'll see that there are always two temperatures: actual and felt. But what is this famous "felt temperature"? It is actually a feeling rather than a measurable data. It takes into account two factors, the wind chill (FRE) in winter and the humidex in summer.
In the case of the wind chill, it is the sensation of coldness caused by the wind and felt on the exposed skin. The humidex, on the other hand, takes into account the humidity level in the air. In both cases, they are used to measure the level of discomfort and risk to the body.
In the near future, however, these two indices may be replaced by the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). It does not combine temperature with any other factor, but rather incorporates four: temperature, air humidity, wind speed, and sunshine, that is, the amount of solar radiation one receives.
Climate Change Impacts in Canada
The impact of climate change is a hot topic around the world, and Canada is no exception. According to an Environment Canada report published in 2022, global warming has averaged 1.9°C since 1948, twice as fast as on the rest of the planet. The resulting impacts are numerous, notably on the health and safety of the population (respiratory and cardiovascular problems due to an increase in the number and duration of heat waves, or increased air pollution). Some plant and animal species could disappear and others move further north, while exotic or harmful species have already made their appearance, as shown by the rapid spread of Lyme disease-carrying ticks in the south of the country. Rising sea levels, shrinking ice cover - particularly in the Arctic - thawing permafrost, torrential rains, more frequent storms and freeze-thaw cycles, extreme conditions conducive to forest fires and summer water shortages, are also having disastrous effects on infrastructure, as well as on economic sectors such as agriculture, forestry, mining and tourism. Solutions do exist, and Canada claims loudly that it wants to respect the Paris Agreement it ratified in 2015, but we need to get serious about them without waiting any longer.
