Hi everyone, we'll be moving to Toronto via our SW application hopefully end of next year, but in the meantime if hubby is lucky enough to get a job, he could be offered something in Toronto or Calgary. Are Calgary winters much colder than Toronto? I wouldn't mind moving there initially to get there sooner, with intention to relocate to Toronto permanently after PR is approved, but have had some people say that Calgary is MUCH colder. Can anyone enlighten us?

See the neat link on the thread (below) for all kinds of comparisons - for coldest winters Calgary ranks 46 and Toronto 72. But the chinooks here make the winters very 'do-able' and are no-where near as harsh as when we first came here 13 yrs ago!

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=432839

Or you can do the comparisons for yourself .

Climate Normals 1971-2000 Toronto

Climate Normals 1971-2000 Calgary

Calgary is colder in the winter but as Calgal said the chinooks moderate things quite a bit. Toronto is warmer in summer and quite bit more humid.

Hi hun

Just to put the Alberta winter into perspective, my hubby flew Feb 4th to start his new job in Southern Alberta.

His comments about the winter over there is that yeah sure it does feel cold but you do leave behind all the dampness that you get in the UK so you dont feel as much "chill to the bone" as you would expct to with -25 temperatures.

He is absolutely amazed at how variable the temperatures are out there and this is due to the chinook winds that come and blow the snow away - when lady chinook comes the temperatures usually become milder.

This year they have had some of the worst snow that they have had for many years (so it isnt that he has landed at a very mild time) and he has coped remarkably well with it all - it's not as though you have to go very far walking there is always the car !!!

Gaynor
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Thanks for the replies, the links are great. Gaynor, I'm actually in Sydney Australia, not the UK, so the winters will obviously be more of a shock for us Aussies! Our winters here are quite mild and relatively short. I know what we're in for with the snow, cold and everything, but just wanted to know if there is much of a difference between the 2 cities winter. I mean, once you get to -10, then is -20 really that much colder. Aren't you freezing your butt off at -10 anyway? From what I gather, Calgary gets lower temperatures, but Toronto gets the wind chill, which makes the weather feel as if it's a lower temperature. Is that correct?

Yes. This morning I drove along thinking it was quite mild and Spring must be on the way, the car thermometer showed -11. Yesterday it showed -22.5 and I wondered if life consisted only of Canada whether or not it be worth dragging on with it. Ten metric degrees is a significant variation in temperature.

I think 10 degrees here or there can make a large difference. From our experience of cold in US, it can mean eyelids freezing or not! and I think the more seriously cold it gets the more likely you are to get facial frostbite

Gryphea

Look at this another way, we have clients in Calgary, Edmonton and Appleton WI, there's no way I can persuade people to visit them a second time in the winter.

Yes, dont be fooled by the averages. When its cold in Calgary its really cold...sub -30, the average is raised by the chinooks which bring much needed relief every now and then...might be good for some, might drive others nuts at the false dawns.

Toronto doesn't get chinooks, but it never (well, only very occasionally) gets that cold either as its a lot further south and moderated to some extent by being next to the lake. I dont think there is a lot of difference in winds. Downtown toronto generates its own wind between the office blocks, but Calgary is probably the same?


And yes, -10, -15 I will happily play outside with the kids if there is no wind. At -20 , maybe for a few minutes, if I'm prodded or bribed by the wife into it. -30, no chance, and we wouldn't want the kids outside risking frostbite anyway. Hard for an Australian to comprehend, but -15 in the sun with no wind can actually be quite pleasant when appropriately dressed..

I'll second that,

On our recent trip to B.C. i was wearing typical UK winter wear to start with as it was only -5 or so. By about halfway through the holiday the temperatures had dropped significantly and just going outside to defrost the car was something i quickly realized you don't do in just jeans and a fleece.

Put on the ski bottoms and a decent ski jacket with a couple of layers beneath and it felt fine and we had no problems enjoying several hours on the slopes.

Our experience of the winters here in AB, are not as harsh as we expected it to be.
Before we came, I thought -10 would be horrendous but its not. Really !!! If the sun is out and theres not much wind, then temps like that don't feel as bad as you may expect !

Remember AB is dry. No humidity, so that 'dampness' just isn't there.

When it gets below -15 and you add on the windchill then its a tad chilly ! But as long as you layer up you can still be outdoors.

Yesterday, we hit around +5 I think, and I saw people out in t-shirts. Can you imagine doing that at +5 in the UK. !!!!! A different type of cold !

+14 in Calgary yesterday, sat out on the deck in shirtsleeves to enjoy a nice glass of wine and listen to the birds.

Not quite so warm today forecast is for +7.

+16 for next Monday if one believes in 5 day forecasts which I don't.

Good day in the south of England today, have been out doing some weeding in shirtsleeves but chilly when the sun disappears.

The problem isn't dealing with the cold when you go out to play, it's day-to-day, for example standing at the bus stop in a suit, pushing the car out the snow in your good shoes. Trying to cross the road when both sides have a lake of half melted snow, chasing the driver who just swerved to soak you with that melt. Trying to keep the salt that's caked on your coat and shoes from getting all over the interior of the car and house. Winter's a pain in the arse when it comes to ordinary things.

Amen brother. I find its OK for a couple of months, but then it just draaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggsssssssssssssssssssss