Canadian Weather

3 Canadian Weather Canada and cold are synonymous in many people's minds. Many people believe that Canada is a cold and barren wasteland. Nothing could be further from the truth. For the most part, this huge land mass has what is known as a temperate climate-not too hot, and not too cold. In most aspects, Canadian weather is similar to that of other nations in the northern hemisphere, especially those in northern Europe. But there are a couple of exceptions. In British Columbia, it rains nearly every day during winter. It snows only one or two days per year. Temperatures rarely fall below 0°C. The Arctic regions are a completely different story. When temperatures drop to -40°C, things get extremely dangerous. Death by exposure to the cold is not common, but it does occur every year in the Arctic.

Wind chill-an occurrence when howling winds cause the air to feel colder than the actual temperature-is a common word in the Canadian vocabulary. So is frostbite. Every Canadian child is taught to recognize frostbite, a condition that sets in when skin is exposed to extreme cold for too long. The toes, fingers or face begin to tingle and burn. Living with Canadian winter weather requires common sense and proper winter gear. But on a typical winter day, you're more likely to see the sun high and bright. If properly dressed, it's possible to stay comfortable outdoors all day. So yes, Canada is cold in winter. And it's hot in summer. In spring and fall, it's gloriously temperate. The record for the coldest day in North America is held by a Canadian Yukon town called Snag. That temperature was -63°C. And two towns in the prairies hold the record for the warmest day in Canada: +45C.