The last word on Canadian Winters

[G-Mo]

Originally Posted by dealdish

hi everyone, anyone here who can describe the weather in Estevan Saskatchewan as we are an Irish family moving in june.Any information would be great.Thanks

"Estevan has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb), characterized by cold, long and dry winters and warm, short and relatively humid summers. The mean temperature in January, the coldest month, is −14.8 °C (5.4*°F). The precipitation in winter is chiefly snow, averaging 56.0*cm (22.05*in). The spring is a short transitional season, with a mean temperature of 4.4 °C (39.9*°F) and 107.3*mm (4.22*in) of precipitation, with significant snowfall in April. The summer is usually warm (the mean average high temperature is 25.3 °C (77.5*°F) (average high in July, the warmest month, is 26.5 °C (79.7*°F) and humid (190.8*mm (7.51*in) of total precipitation). Autumn, as spring, is transitional, being warm in September and cooler in October and November. At this time of the year, the average temperature is 4.6 °C (40.3*°F) and the total precipitation is 85.9*mm (3.38*in). The extreme low and high temperatures are, respectively, −42.2 °C (−44.0*°F), recorded on January 20, 1954, and 41.1 °C (106.0*°F), recorded on August 8, 1958."

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estevan#section_6

[colchar]

Originally Posted by Addicted to NZ

Must be warm in most of Canada by now...it's May!

We had virtually no snow and very little cold all winter but one day last week Orangeville (just northwest of Toronto) got about 10cm of snow (seriously).

[colchar]

Originally Posted by Ghayoor

I am really fond of Winter.

Go to Saskatoon in February and then try saying that.

[TheConstantVariable]

Originally Posted by Missplaced_NewYorker

BTW if you hate snow and cold and anything under 9C makes your blood turn to ice, move to the Lower Mainland of BC. The weather forecasters on Global BC and CTV make me laugh because they talk about having a chilly high of plus 4C. Not all of Canada is cold during the winter.

I was worried about this when I was in Quebec (3 months September - early December), but I think it's just an adjustment. When I came home from Quebec where it was -17C, it was 25C in my hometown, if that's any indication of the temp difference! This was in December. So at the beginning of my stay I froze my *** off, but you get used to it after a while. For me, once it got past -10C, there was really little difference between that and -17C. It was just cold and you got on with it. (I still complained sometimes, but I am a little Southern girl!) The problem with the area I was in, I think, was that it was more of a "wet cold." That was what I found most miserable -- when it was both rainy AND it was freezing.

[nessjoy]

[quote=JCB;113695]

Originally Posted by Deeana

Honestly guys, let's get this straight. There is no way Canadian winters can be described as anything other than cold. Harsh even. You may enjoy snow, enjoy winter sports, enjoy freezing standing in a bus queue, but get this. IT IS VERY COLD IN CANADA IN THE WINTER. PERIOD.
I am Irish but we are currently living in Melbourne. We are looking to move to Toronto in a couple of years. Absolutely love Melbourne but it is so far away from home that it is hard to visit home or for people to travel all that way to see us on a regular basis.
I have a small son and am looking at having another child this year. What I want to know is with the very cold weather, would it be difficult for me to manage the winter with small children. Basically with the weather are you very restricted to the house and could I end up very isolated while trying to establish new social networks which take time.
Any comments gratefully accepted.

We have a toddler and expecting our second. Living in Toronto, and yes, it is tough in winter because the kids go stir crazy. While Canadians in general are friendly, I have found Toronto a very difficult place to make friends. You have to go way out of your way, and even then people don't necessarily respond in kind. Also, most women go back to work, and if you SAH, you will find yourself in programs with nanny's, or trying to meet up with other moms only on weekends, etc... So it really depends where you live.

[rrdstarr]

Winter? Not in Victoria, BC! LOL!

Every other year you might get snow. But only for a few days at a time. Definitely the nicest place to live in Canada year round! Want to go kayaking or canoeing? You can do that year round. Need to go skiing? Drive up to Mount Washington from November till June to ski! It is gets the most snowfall in North America! Hiking year round, you name it! So glad I moved up here to be with my wife 8 years ago!

[danyelle]

[quote=nessjoy;818415]

Originally Posted by JCB

We have a toddler and expecting our second. Living in Toronto, and yes, it is tough in winter because the kids go stir crazy. While Canadians in general are friendly, I have found Toronto a very difficult place to make friends. You have to go way out of your way, and even then people don't necessarily respond in kind. Also, most women go back to work, and if you SAH, you will find yourself in programs with nanny's, or trying to meet up with other moms only on weekends, etc... So it really depends where you live.

Hi Nessjoy,

I hear you. When I first moved to Toronto from living in Scotland, I found people here quite cold or hard to approach. (Previously I had lived in Montreal and before that Taipei, which were both quite friendly.)
But not now. I find it one of the most friendly-welcoming- strangers offer help-type of places. I live in a great neighbourhood with a strong community feeling where, for example, we all chipped in to help a neighbour buy a blood analysis machine. People are open to new friendships and sincere about it here. Once you make a connection , you're in. It's not fake, like in some other cities I've lived in.
I think , for me, it depends on where you live in the city. Where are you?

[nessjoy]

[quote=danyelle;832858]

Originally Posted by nessjoy

Hi Nessjoy,

I hear you. When I first moved to Toronto from living in Scotland, I found people here quite cold or hard to approach. (Previously I had lived in Montreal and before that Taipei, which were both quite friendly.)
But not now. I find it one of the most friendly-welcoming- strangers offer help-type of places. I live in a great neighbourhood with a strong community feeling where, for example, we all chipped in to help a neighbour buy a blood analysis machine. People are open to new friendships and sincere about it here. Once you make a connection , you're in. It's not fake, like in some other cities I've lived in.
I think , for me, it depends on where you live in the city. Where are you?

We are at Mt Pleasant/Broadway. I did a semester in Montreal during uni and LOVED it - much diff to TO in my opinion... Also, husband and I are considering a move to Taipei potentially next year - would love to know what you thought about it?

2 yrs in, we are quite used to Toronto and feel settled here - but we were living in Cape Town previous to here and it was totally different. We had a huge group of close friends and a very active social life. I suppose that's also a function of having kids now, though...

If you are willing to chat via email, would love to ask you questions about Taipei.. nessjoy at gmail...

[sma]

I absolutely dislike Canadian winter's. It's extreme, I live about a hour north of Toronto and when it snow's it's like the sky has opened up & dumped on us. Just this past May I woke up 1 morning to snow on the ground & after I just planted some flowers in the garden. I love having 4 seasons but the winters never seem to end, their relentless. I know for me and maybe some other canadian's by Feb. you are mentally done with the cold, snow storms, etc. The winter blues set in, it sucks. I'm always cold & FREEZING

[Auld Yin]

Originally Posted by sma

I absolutely dislike Canadian winter's. It's extreme, I live about a hour north of Toronto and when it snow's it's like the sky has opened up & dumped on us. Just this past May I woke up 1 morning to snow on the ground & after I just planted some flowers in the garden. I love having 4 seasons but the winters never seem to end, their relentless. I know for me and maybe some other canadian's by Feb. you are mentally done with the cold, snow storms, etc. The winter blues set in, it sucks. I'm always cold & FREEZING

I'm sorry to say this but it does beg the question, why do you live here?