Hi everyone i hope you dont mind but we have a couple of questions we hope someone may be able to answer?

1. the weather in alberta, truthfully? mainly calgary but also edmonton please?

2. im training to be a nurse but my husband is doing a long distance (but with 3 week long practical exams) plumbing course its all registered and proper and at the end he will have the same qualifications as a 17 yr old who has done a 3yr apprenticeship, our question is IF we wanted to go on my husbands plumbing quals would he also need work exp or could he secure a job from here that would enable him nomination??
any help would really be appreciated thanks in advance
jamie and kelly x

I cat answer question 2, but we moved to Edmonton in August so I can answer question 1.
So far, the weather has been damn near perfect. The summer lasted well in to late September and it's only now starting to get cold. We've had only a handful of cloudy days, so it's mostly been sunny.

We've been warned about the winter temperatures, which are apparently just round the corner. I was here in January when it was -25 or so. Theres no denying it's cold, but I've definitely "felt" colder in the UK.

Is it true that even though you get colder temps over there, here in the UK it feels worse because of the damp cold we seem to get sorry if this comes across as abit stupid, but if you don't ask you'll never find out, also do nearly always get a white Christmas in Alberta

i can tell you about calgary as my brother has lived there for 14 years....i have been there but not in the winter......it's 'cold' yes, sometimes very; last year it got down to -45!!!! BUT, they have 'chinocks', which are warm winds that come down off the rockies and is a very warm air front, so whilst it might be -45, with the chinocks, it can 'feel' much warmer. they have 'lots' of snow but again, the warm winds can melt it all in a day.....my brother says that you should be dressed for the moment but be pepared to change clothes several times through out the day!

he's already drained down the garden water butts and most days now, they are having morning frosts and the garden flowers are all dissapearing.....and doesn't start 'blooming' again until may/june.....they've even had snow in july!!!! they have a lot of sunshine too....check out the 'stats' and there's plenty on BE....

as said, he's lived there for 14 years and thinks it's great....depends what your looking for.....personally, we're going to vancouver. the weathers more like the uk.

good luck

I'm on my out so I'll answer fully when I get back but...it has'nt been -45C in Calgary for a very,very long time, the coldest it got last winter was -33.3C

"Chinooks" are the warm winds and they don't make it feel warmer they actually raise the temperature a considerable amount.

The average annual snowfall for Calgary 126.7cms or about 49.9" not a lot when compared to eastern Canada.

Link to 30 year averages (1971-2000) for Calgary

sorry steve.....knew a weather expect would correct me!!! just reporting what my brother said......-33.3/-45....same difference to me! COLD!!!!

Definitely true...a minus 10 in Calgary felt warmer to me that a plus 4 in damp, rainy Britain!

I don't think it snowed on Christmas day last year in Calgary if I remember rightly.

I've found the (two) summers here lovely - generally long and warm and sunny. June gets rather soggy round the edges but it also brings instant greenery to the landscape so I'll let it off. "Locals" may not find it so good as me - but weeks on end of dry warm weather will do me nicely thank you. I don't care if it rains for a day or two here and there 'cos I know it will be warm and sunny again soon - and it's good for the garden

Our first winter last year was absolutely fine. The snow falls and then it's gone again in a day or so - the roads are clear and dry-ish within a day. It's rarely "wet" slushy snow. I'm not saying it doesn't get icy, because the numerous accident reports on some days would disagree with me - but the place does not grind to a standstill 'cos of 3 inches of snow - as per the UK who is not equipped mentally or physically to deal with it.

The kids had one day off school earlier this year due to low temperatures - it was about -35 with a considerable wind factor thrown in for good measure.

Yes - it can get chilly - but no - it is not constant. I did not feel snowed in - and personally I was amazed at how little snow there was overall. The mountains are an hour away and they can collect tons of the white stuff - I think they nick it all before it gets as far as us - that's fine by me. Ski-ing 'n' all !

It's light and bright here. Even when it's cloudy, it's still light and bright. There are not many of those low-cloud, depressing hemmed-in days here - and I love that. I have a generally positive attitude towards the weather here. So far. Ask me again in 5 years

..

The weather here seems better than the Uk because of all those sunny days, but come winter, it can be really cold. It got down to -52 one night last year, but that was with wind chill. We were advised not to spend more than 10 minutes outside due to frostbite.....I know I was working that night!!

It might help if you were to tell us where you are.

sorry that would be Calgary and I was working a nightshift and we were warned by the city of calgary not to stay outside too long!!

To Sue (moderator) - Thanks for reviewing our report of our own post re our new weather blog. Have added to sig line now as per your advice.

Eamonn & Janet.

Hi Jamie and Kelly.
Okay so I just got here from Oban, yep west coast and you're in the east.
Weather? Wonderful, honest I love it in Calgary, Edmonton 200 miles north so a bit Colder sometimes, look at weather watch for Calgary and Edmonton airports, they'll give you an Idea.
Jobs? Finish your training, Calgary health were paying a bounty for nurses last I heard $7,500. if your man is a Class 1 LGV then he'll have to do a road test again, the only one you can transfer is a normal car licence.
But once he's got the test passed there are plenty of driving jobs advertised.
Being a nurse you want to get on the PNP trail, then you get your permanant residents cards right away, Get down to leeds or London for the Job fair in November, there will be employers from Calgary there, Good Luck.
It's great here.
Jim

Shit. Cold. And shit.

Blue prairie skies [yawn].

R.