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Montreal winters

Montreal winters

Old Aug 24th 2016, 9:38 pm
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Default Montreal winters

Hi

I am a British student thinking about applying to university in Montreal (McGill), and although it seems like on the whole it would be a good decision, I am concerned about the winters.

Even the comparatively mild southern English winter affects me to the point where I wonder if I have SAD. I do feel significantly gloomier and more lethargic during winter. It's not so much the cold which does it (so I hope I could learn to adapt to the temperature in Montreal) as the lack of light and the trees with no leaves. I am worried that moving to Montreal would not be a good idea for me because of this and I was wondering if anybody else who finds winter difficult has managed to survive in Montreal?

It is also made worse by the fact that the school year is from the beginning of September to the end of April, so most of that is winter, and I would probably be returning home for most if not all of the summer so I wouldn't even get to experience the best time of year in Montreal.

So I would really just like to hear the experiences of other people who hate winter or have (diagnosed or undiagnosed) SAD and get some input on whether moving to Montreal is a crazy idea for someone like me.

Thanks!
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 1:51 am
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Default Re: Montreal winters

You are young, and I would say...go for it!

I don't live in Montreal, but I'm in Eastern Canada, where I always thought 'Eastern Seaboard' sounded romantic until I lived through it!

The winters here are harsh, but if I were 25 years younger, as you undoubtedly are, I would embrace them. This has been a bigger mindset change than I had imagined...I feel that I will still be able to adapt, and if I feel that you will do it with no problem!

Yes, lots of people suffer from SAD here...but if you have the opportunity to go and broaden your horizons, don't seek an excuse not do so...weather be damned!

Very best of luck
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 2:29 am
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Default Re: Montreal winters

I had a Montreal winter before I moved here. The lights are nice at xmas.

The snow is unlikely to stop you doing things like an inch or two might in England.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 2:37 am
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Default Re: Montreal winters

by my reckoning I have endured 54 winters in this city

They may be frigid but you are far better off than going through an English winter

when the cold arctic air hits at 20 below Celsius you can expect a gorgeous sunny day
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 8:55 am
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Default Re: Montreal winters

I am no expert on SAD, but AIUI, one of the contributory factors is hours of daylight / serotonin production.


Montreal is at 45.4 degrees latitude north, about the same latitude as say Limoges, France. Now I am not saying for one instant that the winters are the same in both Montreal and Limoges (hell no!). What I am saying is that the hours of daylight in Montreal will be noticeably longer at the winter solstice (shortest day) than anywhere in southern England.


So purely in terms of hours of daylight, you will be better off in Montreal - but of course the winters can be cold and brutal!


According to Google sources, at 21st December, Montreal gets nearly one hours more daylight than London (UK).

Last edited by Hurlabrick; Aug 25th 2016 at 10:12 am.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 12:07 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

I echo what others have said. I'm not in Montreal but I'm not far away. Bright sunshine is common in winter.

I wear my sunglasses as much in winter as I do in summer.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 12:24 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

Also, a new university, in a new country, with lots of a new language. Apart from occasional loneliness I'd think it all so exciting and different that the first winter would flash by.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 12:26 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

Originally Posted by Souvy
I echo what others have said. I'm not in Montreal but I'm not far away. Bright sunshine is common in winter.

I wear my sunglasses as much in winter as I do in summer.
Yes, those classic cold high pressure winter days give cold temperatures, but also give gin clear skies, minimal breeze and bright sunshine. When amplified by the snow, it is quite blinding.


Also worth saying that in that area, it really does seem to be 'big sky' country with wide horizons once you get out of the city and the high rise of course.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 12:35 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

I was about to make a comment like this but someone who knows what they're talking about got there first.

Generally being more southerly than the UK the winter days are longer; the corolary of that is you don't have those fantastic long summer evenings so conducive to after-work cricket...

Originally Posted by Hurlabrick
I am no expert on SAD, but AIUI, one of the contributory factors is hours of daylight / serotonin production.


Montreal is at 45.4 degrees latitude north, about the same latitude as say Limoges, France. Now I am not saying for one instant that the winters are the same in both Montreal and Limoges (hell no!). What I am saying is that the hours of daylight in Montreal will be noticeably longer at the winter solstice (shortest day) than anywhere in southern England.


So purely in terms of hours of daylight, you will be better off in Montreal - but of course the winters can be cold and brutal!


According to Google sources, at 21st December, Montreal gets nearly one hours more daylight than London (UK).
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 1:04 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

Originally Posted by reddflamingo
Hi

I am a British student thinking about applying to university in Montreal (McGill), and although it seems like on the whole it would be a good decision, I am concerned about the winters.

Even the comparatively mild southern English winter affects me to the point where I wonder if I have SAD. I do feel significantly gloomier and more lethargic during winter. It's not so much the cold which does it (so I hope I could learn to adapt to the temperature in Montreal) as the lack of light and the trees with no leaves. I am worried that moving to Montreal would not be a good idea for me because of this and I was wondering if anybody else who finds winter difficult has managed to survive in Montreal?

It is also made worse by the fact that the school year is from the beginning of September to the end of April, so most of that is winter, and I would probably be returning home for most if not all of the summer so I wouldn't even get to experience the best time of year in Montreal.

So I would really just like to hear the experiences of other people who hate winter or have (diagnosed or undiagnosed) SAD and get some input on whether moving to Montreal is a crazy idea for someone like me.

Thanks!

If you already know you might have a problem with winters, don't even consider it. When it comes to sunshine hours, October in Montreal is like an average September in London and from then it's less than 100 hours sun per month until January and the February is like a March in London.


December the 21st in Montreal: Sunrise at 7:32 and sunset at 16:14
December the 21st in London: sunrise at 8:04 and sunset at 15:54

For people working it won't make a difference. You go to work when it's dark and come home when it's dark



The December in London is 12 degrees warmer, so basically t-shirt weather.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 1:15 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

Originally Posted by Moses2013
If you already know you might have a problem with winters, don't even consider it. When it comes to sunshine hours, October in Montreal is like an average September in London and from then it's less than 100 hours sun per month until January and the February is like a March in London.


December the 21st in Montreal: Sunrise at 7:32 and sunset at 16:14
December the 21st in London: sunrise at 8:04 and sunset at 15:54

For people working it won't make a difference. You go to work when it's dark and come home when it's dark



The December in London is 12 degrees warmer, so basically t-shirt weather.
I tend to shiver a lot when I go to the UK. The damp just gets into your bones. I didn't notice it when I lived in the UK. I do now.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 1:33 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

Originally Posted by Souvy
I tend to shiver a lot when I go to the UK. The damp just gets into your bones. I didn't notice it when I lived in the UK. I do now.


I don't know and personally I think people always try to make something better or worse than it is. I've never had a problem adapting and if you look at precipitation rates Montreal is actually wetter during winter months, only that it's more snow instead of rain. The only difference is that people buy the right clothing in Canada and don't feel the cold as much. If people in the UK would actually buy proper windproof jackets and wouldn't wear sneakers, they wouldn't feel cold. If you have snow boots in Canada, you obviously don't get wet feet but in the UK people then complain it goes to your bones.




In my opinion SAD is just another thing the media sell to us. In reality a person in a warmer climate often gets less daylight, especially in countries where you have very long working hours. Have a friend who worked in Spain from 8am until 7pm but it was unheard of there and the office had no windows.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 2:16 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

Originally Posted by Hurlabrick
I am no expert on SAD, but AIUI, one of the contributory factors is hours of daylight / serotonin production.


Montreal is at 45.4 degrees latitude north, about the same latitude as say Limoges, France. Now I am not saying for one instant that the winters are the same in both Montreal and Limoges (hell no!). What I am saying is that the hours of daylight in Montreal will be noticeably longer at the winter solstice (shortest day) than anywhere in southern England.


So purely in terms of hours of daylight, you will be better off in Montreal - but of course the winters can be cold and brutal!


According to Google sources, at 21st December, Montreal gets nearly one hours more daylight than London (UK).
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 2:30 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

Originally Posted by Hurlabrick
I am no expert on SAD, but AIUI, one of the contributory factors is hours of daylight / serotonin production.


Montreal is at 45.4 degrees latitude north, about the same latitude as say Limoges, France. Now I am not saying for one instant that the winters are the same in both Montreal and Limoges (hell no!). What I am saying is that the hours of daylight in Montreal will be noticeably longer at the winter solstice (shortest day) than anywhere in southern England.


So purely in terms of hours of daylight, you will be better off in Montreal - but of course the winters can be cold and brutal!


According to Google sources, at 21st December, Montreal gets nearly one hours more daylight than London (UK).


Just to add to that. According to data this year it's 52 minutes more daylight on 21st, so what if the OP has a longer commute with the metro, is indoors for longer etc. than a location in the UK?




As you can see it won't make a difference.
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Old Aug 25th 2016, 4:01 pm
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Default Re: Montreal winters

I think it will make a difference. SAD is lack of daylight and winters in England are dull and gloomy from the intense cloud base. Winters is Canada by comparison are bright sunshine on snow unless its snowing and blizzard like. Yes, March and April sucks compared to the SE of England but I would take a Canadian cold winter over a British one
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