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Surviving the Weather in Canada

Some countries get storms, hurricanes and tornadoes. Some have major earthquakes. Other countries host a volcano or are subject to a tsunami.

Canada doesn’t. It’s got enough trouble with its daily weather.

Season-by-season, here are tips to help you survive the Canadian weather. These are especially useful for new Canadian immigrants and international students in Canada. This lesson refers mainly to Central Canada- the Maritimes and Western Canada have different climates.

Fall:

Fall in Canada lasts from September to December usually. It’s the season for leaves to turn into several beautiful colours, so if you’re a leaf-watcher you should go up to a nice country/rural place and watch the lovely scenery.

Precipitation is fairly common during fall, and so is the wind. Temperatures fluctuate around 10 degrees, though they are usually much lower towards November and higher in September.

Tips: Always carry a small umbrella in your bag- you never know when it’s going to rain. A light jacket and long-sleeved clothes fit best.

Winter:

The season to be scared of- winter. Lasting from December to March in normal years, though in 2008 winter came as early as November and lingered a bit longer too. Canada gets snow during winter, and while it’s fun to build snowmen and have snowball fights, you’ll get sick of the white freezing stuff pretty fast.

In addition to snow, you’ll find other winter terms prevalent in Canada: flurries- light, powdery snow; freezing rain- quite literally ice dropping down from the sky; and slush- a disgusting combination of mud and snow you don’t want to step on. Temperatures are below zero most of the time, and can get as low as -30 at night.

Tips: As early as November, get out there and buy a thick coat (as thick as can find), gloves, a scarf, boots, and a wool hat. It’s always better to dress in lots of thin layers you can take on and off, because it’s very warm indoors and freezing outdoors. Watch the Weather Network for rare blizzard warnings.

An important thing to watch for- when it’s a nice sunny day out there, it means it’s really really freezing. If it’s cloudy and overcast, it’ll be less cold. Also, watch out if temperatures are just around 0- sometimes, the snow begins to melt during the day and freezes again overnight, resulting in ice on the roads and sidewalks. During those days, it’s better to stay home under the covers than to slip and fall.

Spring:

The season of rebirth, and of melting snow. Spring starts off fairly cool in April, but it warms up fast till June. Trees begin to blossom and there’s flowers and everything- which also means it’s allergy season. But taking walks and playing outdoors is fun.

The rain and wind come over from time to time, and can stay for a few days. Don’t be surprised if it gets really hot one day and cold the next, though generally temperatures stay around 15 degrees or so. Spring is a nice season.

Tips: Bring the umbrella back, and the lighter jacket. You can switch to short sleeves when it gets warmer. Another good idea is to wear a hat- it’ll help prevent blossoming flowers from falling on you and getting caught in your hair once it gets close to summer.

If you’re experiencing dry eyes, congestion, and headaches, you may be suffering from seasonal allergies. Ask your doctor, and pick up some over-the-counter, quick allergy relief medicine available everywhere.

Summer:

After the freezing winter, you’d think summer is pretty cool. It’s not, at least not since global warming kicked in. Temperatures can get up to 30 degrees and more during the hot days of July and August easily, so hopefully wherever you are, you’ve got air conditioning. Normally though, temperatures stay around 20.

It still rains a bit during summer here, so don’t be surprised. Watch the Weather Network for information on the UV index and the smog (air quality), in the big cities like Toronto it can get pretty bad.

Tips: This is the season for shorts and T-shirts, but check the daily weather for more info. Also, make sure you’re aware of the dangers of too much sun- use sunscreen, sunglasses and stay in the shade so that you don’t get skin cancer. And make sure to drink a lot and rehydrate if you’re sweating.

Don’t worry though!

If this just freaked you out about coming to Canada, don’t worry. A lot of people learn to deal with the weather quickly, and if it doesn’t stop 33 million Canadians from living a great life, why should it scare you?

Try to enjoy the diverse weather Canada offers- it’s never boring here.

Enjoy the Canadian Weather!