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Winter City

Other than a couple of weeks a year, our winters are quite accessible. At least if you are active. Last year I missed out on 2 weeks of riding. ( a bike for every season). Didn't use my snow blower as much as some years. Hell the car wasn't plugged in that often either. Also After we have the first real cold days I feel -20 is the cut off point for people and they tend to be active until that point.
 
I hate winter so much but agree that ours is not as bad here as the rest of Canada seems to believe. I tell anyone who will listen that the winter I spent in Ottawa was much worse than any winter here that I can remember—felt just as cold with just so much more snow.
 
occidentalcapital said:
Average January highs and lows in Edmonton are very similar to Montreal.

Montréal, Quebec average high: -5 average low: -14

Edmonton, Alberta average high: -6 average low:-15

Anywhere in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, large portions of Quebec or Central/ northern Ontario, has colder January than Edmonton. I didn't look at the Atlantic provinces but possibly cooler in some parts there as well..
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It is amazing how many people do not actually look at weather stats. I think often they just look at a map and see we are further north than some other places and assume it must be colder.

Actually, the east/west location has a big effect on climate in this part of North America, not just north/south. Winnipeg is definitely colder than here. Regina and Saskatoon are also cooler.
 
Gotta add the traditional prairie refrain "Ateast its a dry cold".

I've found Toronto and Montreal much colder feeling even at higher C temperatures. Heck, even when living in Vancouver +5 led to a deep chill in the bones that you just couldn't shake.

When people ask why we moved back to Edmonton, part of the honest answer is that it has some of the most pleasant winters in Canada.
 
Maybe part of the image problem is our winter weather can be quite variable, but we also generally do not get the heavy snow that eastern Canada in particular gets. So it is generally easier to get around in the winter too.
 
I also think the odd late spring/early fall snow storms we get when other parts of the country are in the 20s tend to get a lot of media attention. I don't think people always realize that snow in September or October doesn't mean that winter has already started here. It's usually a day or two and then back to normal. Although, Calgary gets even more of this than we do, and for whatever reason they don't get stuck with the same perception of having 10 months of winter. How many people in eastern Canada know that our growing season is longer than Calgary's?
 
scyeg said:
I also think the odd late spring/early fall snow storms we get when other parts of the country are in the 20s tend to get a lot of media attention. I don't think people always realize that snow in September or October doesn't mean that winter has already started here. It's usually a day or two and then back to normal. Although, Calgary gets even more of this than we do, and for whatever reason they don't get stuck with the same perception of having 10 months of winter. How many people in eastern Canada know that our growing season is longer than Calgary's?
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Well many of them don't know what city the University of Alberta is in either. Maybe I expect too much, but I don't think it is unreasonable to expect the places where most of our national media is based to actually be a bit better informed.
 
I have noticed that. I understand there is a reason to have a weather station at the airport, but the temperature where most people in Edmonton live is really more relevant and in this case there is often quite a difference.

We live in a world where we seem to be flooded with information, but so much of it low quality because it takes more time and effort to be more relevant and accurate. It is like with have become and information junk food society.
 
scyeg said:
I hate winter so much but agree that ours is not as bad here as the rest of Canada seems to believe. I tell anyone who will listen that the winter I spent in Ottawa was much worse than any winter here that I can remember—felt just as cold with just so much more snow.
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Except that it is two months shorter or ~33% and that's the real difference.
 
Actually 'O for someone who has lived there it is about two weeks at either end so more like one month total and then that leads one into a sweltering humid summer that makes one drop to their knees and pray for winter to return. Ottawa can definitely not be praised for its weather. Those who have moved from Ottawa to Edmonton that I am akin to prefer Edmonton weather by far. One winter day my car was completely buried by snow in Ottawa -- talk about a progenitor of chaos City-wide. And that is the real difference -- you should try living in some of these places that you just pop-in/pop-out visit.
 
I was born there and have lived there for 8 years with my father being a meteorologist and know the city well.

Edmonton must celebrate winter, expand events and celebrations of it given that it is with the city for 5+ months of the year. It is a very real hurdle for attractiveness, but has seen positive strides in making it more livable during those periods.

The bigger issue is the duration and that there are very few reprieves from it ie. chinooks.
 
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Well then you know how punishing the humid summers can be and the extra-extra snowfall in winter. I guess you missed my appearance at the Ottawa House in Gatineau (then Hull) with the Stampeders? Did you know that they discontinued skating on the Rideau canal? I lived in Rockcliffe on the airbase (now shuttered) at the east end of the City -- good escape route to Montreal (some 80 miles distant), dance, dance, dance at "the Crash" (also shuttered).
 
Now I know where that ingrained eastern slant to all things Canadian comes from -- it was your birthright.
 
IanO said:
I was born there and have lived there for 8 years with my father being a meteorologist and know the city well.

Edmonton must celebrate winter, expand events and celebrations of it given that it is with the city for 5+ months of the year. It is a very real hurdle for attractiveness, but has seen positive strides in making it more livable during those periods.

The bigger issue is the duration and that there are very few reprieves from it ie. chinooks.
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Is that still true? Even now we're into November and there's no snow accumulation. Climate change will be interesting for Edmonton.
 
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