Dreaming of a white Christmas???
Nov 2nd, 2003, 11:34 AM
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Dreaming of a white Christmas???
If you are planning a trip to Canada for Christmas, and wonder whether it will be white, here are the chances of seeing snow on the ground:
Vancouver 9%
Calgary 60%
Winnipeg 93%
Toronto 44%
Ottawa 80%
Montreal 80%
Quebec City 100%
I didn't make these number up folks, these were compiled by Environment Canada (the national weather etc. service). :-S
Vancouver 9%
Calgary 60%
Winnipeg 93%
Toronto 44%
Ottawa 80%
Montreal 80%
Quebec City 100%
I didn't make these number up folks, these were compiled by Environment Canada (the national weather etc. service). :-S
Nov 2nd, 2003, 06:29 PM
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If downtown TO has never had a white Christmas, then I must have been hallucinating (or drunk 
)!!) during the seven years that I have lived there (in the 1970's and beginning of the 1980's).
And you just never know what awaits you this year, the weather has been very unpredictable lately (global warming no doubt - also cause of brown Christmases on the prairies in the past few years).
)!!) during the seven years that I have lived there (in the 1970's and beginning of the 1980's).And you just never know what awaits you this year, the weather has been very unpredictable lately (global warming no doubt - also cause of brown Christmases on the prairies in the past few years).
Nov 3rd, 2003, 10:02 AM
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Toronto has had white Christmases - but you sure cannot count on it. Some years - lovely fluffy new snow - other years - grey and more grey - yuck.
If one is in search of a white Christmas - Quebec City and Winnipeg are defintely the best bets. Personally I would choose Quebec City - like a picture post card of winter.
If one is in search of a white Christmas - Quebec City and Winnipeg are defintely the best bets. Personally I would choose Quebec City - like a picture post card of winter.
Nov 3rd, 2003, 02:44 PM
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Don't you think that winters in general are milder in Toronto than they once were? When I moved to Toronto in 1976, I think we did get more snow and it was colder. Now it seems we rarely have snow at Christmas, at least in downtown Toronto. (I'm not complaining though!)
Nov 3rd, 2003, 06:32 PM
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Winters all across Canada are milder than they once were. Even here in Edmonton, we have had several "brown" Christmases in the last decade (including one particular Christmas when it RAINED not snowed - it was very strange). And our growing season (last frost of spring to first frost of fall) has lengthened by about two weeks or so.
The climate has become very unpredictable, that's for sure.
However, it might be back to normal this year. It has been snowing over the past week in central Alberta, Hallowe'en was white, and the scenery looks very "picture postcard" right now!!
The climate has become very unpredictable, that's for sure.
However, it might be back to normal this year. It has been snowing over the past week in central Alberta, Hallowe'en was white, and the scenery looks very "picture postcard" right now!!
Nov 4th, 2003, 06:12 AM
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I think all the pollution melts the snow before it can fall in Toronto! I'm originally from Kingston, ON and while I can remember many white Xmas' as a kid, I don't think that city has had snow at Xmas for a while now. I mean a real nice white blanket of snow.
Went to Quebec City last year and it was beautiful, snowy and cold. Now that's REAL Xmas weather!
Went to Quebec City last year and it was beautiful, snowy and cold. Now that's REAL Xmas weather!
Nov 5th, 2003, 04:16 AM
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I think your numbers have forgotten the snowiest cities in Canada. I read an artical, and they were ranking the cities in order of most snowfall per year, three of the top then cities in Canada were in New Brunswick, and 2 of the top then were in Newfoundland. Basically you wanna see snow come to the east. NB get so much snow that we have one of the most organized snowmobile trails anywhere, and our tourism department has a whole thing around winter and white gold. Personally I could do without waking up to snow as I did this morning, but I guess we should make the most of it.
Nov 5th, 2003, 10:02 PM
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LissaJ - I didn't mean to leave the Maritime provinces out, so sorry!! (as a matter of fact, I not only left out your area of the country, but mine too 
quot;> !!).
So - for anyone out there who loves snow and winter, and wants to plan a trip to the Great White North, here goes:
Probability of snow at Christmas -
St. John's 62%
Charlottetown 82%
Halifax 58%
Fredericton 80%
"Weather winners" in Canada -
Snowiest city = Gander, NL [443 cm]
Snowiest autumn = Val-d'Or, QC [62 cm]
Snowiest spring = Gander NL [136 cm]
Most snow days = Val-d'Or, QC [104 days]
Most heavy (+10 cm) snowfall days = Campbellton, NB [13 days]
Most HUGE (+25 cm) snowfall days = Moncton, NB [2 days]
Longest snowcover season = Yellowknife, NT [191 days]
Greatest average snow depth = Quebec City QC [58 cm]
For those not familiar with the metric system, one cm = slightly less than 1/2 inch (6 inches = 15 cm).
More stats: Canada's five snowiest cities are -
Gander with 443 cm (annual average)
Corner Brook with 422 cm
Sept-Iles with 412 cm
Campbellton with 392 cm
Baie Comeau with 362 cm
Ottawa is the snowiest national capital in the world but only the 34th snowiest city in Canada.
(Please note that all these stats were complied by Environment Canada, and you can find this information and more on their website).
quot;> !!).So - for anyone out there who loves snow and winter, and wants to plan a trip to the Great White North, here goes:
Probability of snow at Christmas -
St. John's 62%
Charlottetown 82%
Halifax 58%
Fredericton 80%
"Weather winners" in Canada -
Snowiest city = Gander, NL [443 cm]
Snowiest autumn = Val-d'Or, QC [62 cm]
Snowiest spring = Gander NL [136 cm]
Most snow days = Val-d'Or, QC [104 days]
Most heavy (+10 cm) snowfall days = Campbellton, NB [13 days]
Most HUGE (+25 cm) snowfall days = Moncton, NB [2 days]
Longest snowcover season = Yellowknife, NT [191 days]
Greatest average snow depth = Quebec City QC [58 cm]
For those not familiar with the metric system, one cm = slightly less than 1/2 inch (6 inches = 15 cm).
More stats: Canada's five snowiest cities are -
Gander with 443 cm (annual average)
Corner Brook with 422 cm
Sept-Iles with 412 cm
Campbellton with 392 cm
Baie Comeau with 362 cm
Ottawa is the snowiest national capital in the world but only the 34th snowiest city in Canada.
(Please note that all these stats were complied by Environment Canada, and you can find this information and more on their website).
Nov 11th, 2003, 08:06 PM
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OK, from Winnipeg, why do we get 93% chance of snow on the ground?
Easy! Because the snow comes in Nov. and it stays COLD for most of the snow to stay until late Feb! We have waaaaaaaay less snow than Montreal or Kenora!
I grew up in northern Sask., as cold.
But do you in TO have sparkling light snowflakes that don't melt, pretty much guaranteed, every Christmas Eve? Magic!
But for those of use who are acclimatized (that is, walk to work except in summer when we bike, and except when the wind chill is on our face in winter) walking on packed snow is a significantly better surface than sidewalks or asphalt. I can easily walk to work at minus 40 (45 minutes) if there is no wind (wind is rare below -20). I only wear a parka at -20 because once you have walked two blocks, you heat up. The worst thing is standing waiting for a car to warm up, or for a bus!
I find Toronto and Montreal really really cold in the winter. You can't dress for humid cold. But I loooove to visit both cities. I don't need to weat ugly warm boots, just waterproof shoes!
Easy! Because the snow comes in Nov. and it stays COLD for most of the snow to stay until late Feb! We have waaaaaaaay less snow than Montreal or Kenora!
I grew up in northern Sask., as cold.
But do you in TO have sparkling light snowflakes that don't melt, pretty much guaranteed, every Christmas Eve? Magic!
But for those of use who are acclimatized (that is, walk to work except in summer when we bike, and except when the wind chill is on our face in winter) walking on packed snow is a significantly better surface than sidewalks or asphalt. I can easily walk to work at minus 40 (45 minutes) if there is no wind (wind is rare below -20). I only wear a parka at -20 because once you have walked two blocks, you heat up. The worst thing is standing waiting for a car to warm up, or for a bus!
I find Toronto and Montreal really really cold in the winter. You can't dress for humid cold. But I loooove to visit both cities. I don't need to weat ugly warm boots, just waterproof shoes!
Nov 19th, 2003, 06:25 PM
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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas 
. . . well, unless we have a tropical heatwave in the few weeks, it looks like the odds of having a white Christmas in Edmonton have just jumped to 100% !!
Wow - what a lot of snow in such a short time (a few hours) - it looks almost knee deep in places.
The cross-country skiing should be really wonderful this weekend.
The mountain parks got even more snow then we did (so I hear) & the downhill ski resorts must be thrilled.
So come on up everybody, and visit our winter wonderland!!
As for me, I'm enjoying it even though I had to trudge through it to get home this evening. And now - here I sit with my steaming hot mug of cocoa plus
, Bing is crooning in the background, and I don't have to dream about white Christmas anymore!!!
. . . well, unless we have a tropical heatwave in the few weeks, it looks like the odds of having a white Christmas in Edmonton have just jumped to 100% !!Wow - what a lot of snow in such a short time (a few hours) - it looks almost knee deep in places.
The cross-country skiing should be really wonderful this weekend.
The mountain parks got even more snow then we did (so I hear) & the downhill ski resorts must be thrilled.
So come on up everybody, and visit our winter wonderland!!
As for me, I'm enjoying it even though I had to trudge through it to get home this evening. And now - here I sit with my steaming hot mug of cocoa plus
, Bing is crooning in the background, and I don't have to dream about white Christmas anymore!!!
Nov 24th, 2003, 06:45 PM
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We took our two "kids" (18 and 21) to Montreal & Quebec city for a White Christmas in 1999. We got exactly what we bargained for...along with temps of 17-24 below zero! We had a fantastic time. 3 nights in a suite in Montreal, 3 nights in a suite at Lowes in QC (with a phenominal view of Old QC, the Frontenac, the St Lawrence) We sent the kids off to ski/snow board at Mt St Annes on a tour arranged by the hotel one day. We drove to the Charlevoix region and spent a night in a tiny town before taking a half day dogsled trip, which was totally amazing. One of the best Christmases EVER.
Nov 28th, 2003, 05:36 AM
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100% chance of a white Christmas in Quebec City didn't seem very likley, so a googled for another source. This site http://www.theweathernetwork.com/twn...ss_01Dec22.htm says 79%
Keith
Keith
Nov 28th, 2003, 07:34 PM
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Keith - I don't trust the statistics from the Weather Channel because they often get the current conditions for my city (Edmonton) wrong.
Environment Canada on the other hand is right on and besides has been collecting weather statistics and analyzing it for more than a century.
By the way "wow" - who is Mike Weir????? (& couldn't find Bright's Cove on my maps of Ontario - where is it??)
Environment Canada on the other hand is right on and besides has been collecting weather statistics and analyzing it for more than a century.
By the way "wow" - who is Mike Weir????? (& couldn't find Bright's Cove on my maps of Ontario - where is it??)
Nov 28th, 2003, 08:12 PM
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To Borealis from Wow!: Must be tough w/ a name like Borealis living in a bubble! I think you must be joking. You live in Canada. You glance @ the Sports page once in a while, don't you? And, the front page? Mike Weir is a golfer who grew up near Sarnia, Ontario (It's on your map!). Bright's Grove is near Sarnia. Mike Weir won The Masters this year!
Now...go back to sleep! Borealis, you're really good @ stats! Go to www.pga.com & check out the stats on Mike Weir!
Now...go back to sleep! Borealis, you're really good @ stats! Go to www.pga.com & check out the stats on Mike Weir!
