Re: Job seekers heading to Alberta
 

... and you can make at least $2.00/hr extra if you agree to working night shift!

Re: Job seekers heading to Alberta
 

Environment Canada's observations are nearly always at the airport in most locations in Canada. The primary purpose for the observations is for the aviation community.

You don't get chinooks much further north than Calgary, unfortunately.

Re: Job seekers heading to Alberta
 

bloody hell.

the OH was working up in the Yukon last winter and it did not get as cold as that.

Re: Job seekers heading to Alberta
 

Not quite the horses mouth. Environment Canada is a more reliable source. Temps given are monthly extremes and averages, not consistent daily temps.
http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc....12&submit=View

Windchill is not actual temp, this is the temp it feels like as the wind cools the skin, which can still feel chilly, but not the actual temperature. Actual temp is the still air temp, measured in a Stevenson's screen.

and for good measure
Fort Mc stats http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc....12&submit=View

Re: Job seekers heading to Alberta
 

Mmm, I get pissed off about people saying that what you've actually done is not possible, that's why I rarely comment in the US section of this forum, get tired of people saying things I've actually done at POEs or with visas isn't correct. For example, CBP never phone anyone to check your story... er yes they do.

But anyway now I'm going to disagree with you, it does get really cold in Calgary but I've lived here for awhile now and it's rare to have a cold snap that lasts more than around 10 days. It's more the number of cold snaps. The coldest I remember was a day in February 2008 where I got into my car and the temp gauge said it was -45 outside and my hand froze to my jacket when I took it off because it was so cold.

What I would say to anyone thinking of moving here (or anywhere on the prairies) is that you're never going to understand the weather here unless you've been here awhile because the English language does not contain the words to explain how cold it is. There are basically three or four words in the English language, "cold", "freezing", "icy", or "frigid". There are real differences between -15, -25, -35 and -45 that you can't easily express because it doesn't get that cold in England. "Frigid" seems to cover that entire spectrum. -23 C is the temperature inside a freezer for example, and your skin freezes at that temperature pretty quickly, significantly faster than at -15 I have found. The colder it gets than -23 it just becomes more and more painful. For example when you get down to below -30 it's very hard to look up, any sort of breeze in that temperature hurts your eyes. Basically shallow breathing, you can feel the inside of your lungs as the cold air goes in and out.

You can easily get a snoticle as well as your snot freezes in your nose.

Also the dryness of the air, people say a "dry cold" like that's a good thing but it hurts imx, make sure you have a good humidifier. During a cold snap it's just incredibly dry.

Yeah, but coldest temperatures would be at night. But like you said, bit of an academic argument for someone from the UK who has probably never been in anything colder than -10 C.

The way I look at it is that -23 is the temperature inside a freezer. That is cold - honestly -10 is not bad weather in Calgary, "warm" in Calgary is above freezing. -5 is okay to pretty good for most of the year.

Two weather averages that are not being quoted out of context: Calgary has 190 days a year with temperatures below freezing; so imagine Edmonton or further north. Calgary has 4 days a year on average with temperatures above 30 C.

Re: Job seekers heading to Alberta
 

You're not actually disagreeing with me except around the edges.

Firstly I'm not specifically referring to Calgary, I'm talking about the oil patch which includes places like Fort Mac and further north.

That said, I fully agree with you even about Calgary. Even though it's not -45 for weeks on end in Calgary it *does* get there with windchill a few days here and there and there are plenty of stretches where it's colder than -25 with windchill throughout the winter. You *definitely* notice this if you have to wait for the bus.

Bear in mind that if you're in your car this generally speaking won't bother you but if you're outside windchill is brutal even if the windchill is *only* -20 or so.

And people coming from the UK have no bloody idea what it's like, It's really bloody frigid. Like you said there aren't words to describe it.

Also: you talk about Coldest temperatures being at night, you're generally referring to the part of the day that's dark. It usually is still dark till 7.30 in the mornings even as far south as Calgary (never mind up north in the oil patch) so if you're outside waiting for the bus you're getting the full brunt of it.