humid summers
 

Hi

Can I please have the definitive word from those of you living in Ontario re the humid summers. When I mention to people that we're planning to move to Toronto, I have been known to get the "--oooh, but the climate's not very good - very cold winters and horrid humid summers.." Is the humidity any worse than say, London, on a sticky day (which I believe they're getting at the moment)? I love to eat outdoors and enjoy life outdoors, but does it get so bad that you are debilitated? And surely it's not ALL summer, just odd spells of it? Is it as bad as Bangkok in February for instance? I'm just trying to imagine.

Ta
SQ

Re: humid summers
 

I'm in Ottawa now but lived in the GTA for several years.

The horrid humid stuff is generally concentrated in July. You can expect quite few days in the mid to high 30s, with humidity taking it into the 40s. Air quality can get pretty lousy. I'd say it's worse than anything I can remember in London. Your Bangkok analogy is spot on.

June is very variable. This year, the first couple of weeks were July weather. Last week it poured with rain and was in the low teens. Today, we're heading back into the July stuff.

August is mostly nice. Hot but not as humid as July. September is also usually nice, although it tends to cool off quite rapidly when the sun goes down.

In summary, you'll be eating outside most days from the end of May until October (barring bits of July).

Re: humid summers
 

Summer in Ontario is humid noo doot aboot it. Certainly stickier than the UK, Today is the official first day of summer, but a couple of weeks ago the humidex peaked here at 42. (Get used to Humidex quotes!...windchill in winter, humidex in summer)

Its really rather pleasant in my opinion...I still get out and about, bike rides etc, you just pick a sensible time. Most people have at least some air conditioning, so you can always get a break from it, even if you only have a window unit in one room which is what I did for a bit a few years after getting here. Now we have central air which is nice to have.

A bigger concern for me is the air quality, already a record amount of smog this year. A recent survey not surprisingly found that most of it came from the US, but traffic in Toronto is certainly a factor too.

Never been to Bankok...Ill try and remember to ask my Bro, hes seen both.

Winter is OK too, you dont spend much time out when its -28, but the odd spell skating or whatever is good.

Everyone outside canada obsesses on the climate... as a rather pissed off future boss said to me over dinner when I came for my interview..."WE DO HAVE HEATING YOU KNOW"...well the same can be said for Air Conditioning.

Re: humid summers
 

Wimp.

Re: humid summers
 

Ontario


Winter = Heating on full

Spring = switch heating off

Summer = Air Con on Full

Fall = Switch Air Con off


Having said all that a day by the lake (Ontario, Erie, Huron, or Superior) in the summer no matter how high the Humidex is awesome….

If you like a full set of seasons and can adapt come on over….

Re: humid summers
 

So what happens when we all run out of oil and there's no energy...:scared: See - I obsess about everything, not just the weather!!!

Snowqueen

Re: humid summers
 

We fire up our woodstoves in the winter...no shortage of trees. People lived in canada long before we became oil dependant. A lot of the electricity generated in Ontario is from Hydro and Nuclear plants anyway.

In the summer we will all run around naked on the beach...see, sounds like a lot of fun already :D

Re: humid summers
 

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snowqueen

So what happens when we all run out of oil and there's no energy...:scared: See - I obsess about everything, not just the weather!!!

Snowqueen

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Most of the energy in Canada is from the water. So unless global warming dries out all the water, I wouldn't worry too much about it!! ;)

Re: humid summers
 

I would definitely say that air conditioning is essential especially if you have young children.

We are having a nightmare with this heat, son is struggling to eat and sleep.

As soon as it went cooler again, he got better again.

We are moving in five weeks to an airconditoned house and I cannot wait.

Do love the summer so far though, just would enjoy it even more if son didn't struggle so much with it.

Sonia

Re: humid summers
 

Young children who grew up with airco or come from another country, perhaps. We have an airconditioner but haven't turned it on. My partner, who's from a desert state, finds it humid here but then she also thinks it's cold. I like the warmth and have never found it to be hot in Toronto. Air quality is something else though, this is a very dirty city, best not to breathe whenever it's warm enough to do without a coat.

Re: humid summers
 

I would say you are probably in a minority that doesn't find it hot!!!

Our house is the only house in the area with windows open which leads me to believe that every other house on the street is using their air conditioning.

Anyone coming from the Uk is likely to find summers in Southern Ontario hotter than those they know in the UK, but I can only comment on this summer so far. The summer in NS the year we were there was about as cr*p as summers in the UK!!!

Re: humid summers
 

When I lived in Ontario, I lived in a house that didn't have any power at all (hydro/gas or electricity) and it's not all doom and gloom. It's a very good way to live in a lot of ways.

Re: humid summers
 

Awe, poor little guy :(. I can relate, I don't do well in the heat at all. Same as your son, I can't eat or sleep. I just feel completely drained and yucky. What helps me - lots of cold melon, a shower or spray down with a hose in my clothes and then keep my clothes on and sit in a breeze or in front of a fan with a good book. At night, a fan is a must for me plus a wet cloth or a mister to keep myself cool. If it's really hot I wet the top sheet (not by peeing on it :D) to help keep me cool. I just don't think my body sweats properly so I have to add it my hand. My dad's the same - ******' genes!

Re: humid summers
 

It's not that bad. I lived there for 30 years before moving to Texas.
Here it's over 35C every day of the summer and just as humid starting in May until October.

We're thinking of moving back to a cool climate like Toronto!

Re: humid summers
 

Thought this thread was about 'Stupid Hummers'.

Dyslexia regards.