energysolutions

So the recent snow in the UK got me thinking about my future move to Canada and whilst I have read heaps of info on what weather to expect the reports vary wildly

I hope to end up in Alberta, somewhere around Edmonton or Calgary or that vicinity

This is the opinion I have formed from my research:

Alberta gets proper distinctive seasons

It can get cold (seen -20 mentioned) but everyone says that because the days can be quite sunny and its a "dry" cold it doesnt feel much (if any) worse than our cold snaps in the UK. This assumption is somewhat backed up by the fact that virtually every Canadian I spoke with at the expo indicated that they preferred the winter as they have lots of activities to do then - I imagine this wouldnt be the case if it was unbearable outside

The summers seem to be pretty dry and sunny with temps around 20 - 25 and long days - from what I can tell they are better than the UK (but not in the same league as Australia for example)

I keep reading about a "chinook" effect that can make the temp rise up to 30 degrees in a short period

I dont know how the other two seasons compare (Spring & Autumn)

Can anyone confirm if this sounds correct? The big question for me is how do the summers of Canada/Alberta compare to the UK? We had looked at Australia because of the climate and whilst I dont expect it to be that sunny & hot I would like an improvement over the UK - can anyone quantify if this is realistic?

Thanks for any help

mandymoochops

I don't think you're too far wrong in your assumptions! For me there doesn't really seem to be a spring or an autumn for the simple fact that in the UK you classify spring as when the grass is green and all the lovely flowers are growing. Eeeeer that doesn't happen in central Alberta, Spring means snow melting and the grass (fwiw) is that lovely shade of brown, then all of a sudden it's June July and the temps are up in the 20's.

Last year the summer was long gorgeous getting close to 30 degrees in some parts, then the fall kind of just 'happened' and before you know it it's snowing!

So to me there are 2 definitive seasons and 2 transitional ones that are pretty much the same as each other with nothing really notable going on

Edited to add I love the summers here, long hot and good Way better IMO than the UK Summers weather wise!

Piff Poff

Winter and consruction. Spring and fall last about 10 days in between the other two seasons.

nikki dreaming

I have Been in ns 4 yrs nearly, there are 4 seasons here, though spending a week in Edmonton recently, the climate is very different, I ended up with dry sore skin after a week in Alberta at -20+ temps, which I have never experienced in ns when we have hit the same temps, I experienced the whole dry cold factor in Alberta for sure!

haggis88

i took this in the middle of August 2012



Xmas week had the temperature at -27 one day, and windchill was supposedly making it feel like -32...i walked to the pub and back with a jacket, hat and gloves and it was no problem - i wouldn't do that in -5 in the UK

the dry weather and low humidity make winter bearable tbh

infact, would i be wrong in thinking Calgary is having the effects of a Chinook just now? Weather app on my phone had it at 8 degrees today, and the 30ft of snow which fell last week has pretty much melted from the streets!

nikki dreaming

Agree , anything below 0 in the uk , it feels like you cannot function , your body does get used to it, now I am at the -30 range before I get to the stage where i was in the uk

Deva

What would you wear at -5 in the UK? Snowsuit?

MarkG

It can also drop fifty degrees in a few hours. When I visited Edmonton for Christmas in the late 90s we were out in the park walking the rabbit one morning at about 10C, and by evening it was -40C and drunks were freezing to death in the street.

Walking back from the bus stop at -20C isn't much of a problem until you realise it's about the temperature inside your freezer, but -40C with wind chill on top does get annoying.

haggis88

i wouldn't even go out...the UK cold is a horrible damp cold that affects every single molecule in your body, its disgusting

haggis88

Oink

Bollox, its better than 9 feet of snow in minus 20c weather. The only people who rationalise Canadian winters are unsuccessful poor people.

haggis88

is it hell

in this weather, the entire UK would shut down and people would be panic buying every last morsel in Tesco/Asda

also, my gammy ankle doesn't give me any bother in this climate either...which is really nice, never been able to play football in the winter before!

give me Calgary winter over Ayr winter any day of the week!

MarkG

So you haven't seen rabbit leads in the pet stores over here?

tinyteds

Hi everyone, I've not been on the forum for quite some time (dreams of Canada had been put on hold for a while), but yes for me personally what makes the UK winters unbearable isn't so much it's miserable attempt at snow, but the fact that when it does snow everyone goes into panic mode just as you say haggis88.

We have just had what I'd call a dusting of talc and according to relatives down in England they are closing schools and cars are being abandoned all over the place. You hear people say that we are not 'equipped' for bad weather over here, but why is that when the reality is its only a few inches of snow that lasts a week or so?!

MillieF

I wouldn't put quite like the inestimable Oink, but I don't like the cold, can't see the bloody point in snow. It's snowing this morning, and my son is out in it somewhere cross country skiing and loving every second of it. In ten years or so though we plan to go west to the brollie and wellie lands where it's not so cold.