Many people associate Canada with very cold weather. This is not always the case. Regional variations in temperature means that while some areas are below freezing for more than half of the year others enjoy some really mild weather. If you are looking to move to Canada but are not keen on weather that is too cold then you need to pick your region wisely. However, if you are moving for work you may not have a choice as to where you will live, and you may end up in one of the regions that are colder for most of the year.

There are ten provinces in Canada and three territories. Each has a diverse climate and many enjoy a surprising amount of warm days each year. As many of the provinces and territories cover such a large land area, climates can be hugely diverse from region to region within them, trying to compare them would be on a similar scale to comparing the Scottish climate with that of the South of France or Spain.

Provinces

Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan

The six provinces of Alberta, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan have very similar climates. They have maximum high temperatures of around 25 degrees in the summer months of July and August, while temperatures in the winter months of December and January can reach as low as -16 degrees. The average temperatures for the province are not as harsh with lows around -9. The month of July has the best average temperature of a very comfortable 15 degrees. The summer months also tend to have the highest rainfall with June, July and August all having over 50mm of rainfall per year, in some areas of the province this can increase to upwards of 70mm per year. Although July and August tend not to see any snowfall, it is not uncommon for there to be some snowfall for the other 10 months of the year. Humidity is fairly high all year round in Alberta with averages between 55%and 65% throughout the year. Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island humidity is even higher averaging around 80% throughout the year. Manitoba and Saskatchewan average around 70% humidity. Strong winds are not normally an issue in Alberta, with average wind speeds of around 16km/h year round although wind does tend to be slightly stronger in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and Saskatchewan at around 20km/h on average throughout the year.

British Columbia

The weather in British Columbia is fairly mild with temperatures rarely dropping below zero, even in winter. The maximum temperatures that can be expected in summer are around 22 degrees in July and August, whilst the coldest you might expect it to be in winter is zero. However, average temperature in December and January is a mild 4 degrees. Average summer temperatures are usually around 17 degrees.

Rain can be expected all year round as British Columbia is a fairly wet province. Rain fall is heavier in the winter months with an average of over 160mm of rain falling per month in November and December. The summer months are much less although you can expect to see an average of over 30mm of rain fall in the months of July and August. Snow usually only falls for 6 months of the year during the winter months with May to October generally being snow free. The humidity throughout the year is very high and averages between 74% and 86%, which could cause problems for those with respiratory issues. Strong winds are not a problem throughout the year in British Columbia with wind speeds of between 10 and 13Km/h on average.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador has a climate similar to, if perhaps just slightly cooler than, the UK. The summer months can see temperatures rise to around 20 degrees while winters see lows of -8 at its extreme. Average temperatures however are much milder with summer temperatures around 15 degrees and winter temperatures for February staying around -4. The majority of the rain falls in summer and autumn with the months of August to November seeing average rainfall of between 122 and 147mm per month. Winter rainfall is usually around half of that at 65 -70mm per month. Snow rarely falls is July, August and September but it is not uncommon for all the other months of the year to see snow, even if it is just the smallest amount. Humidity in Newfoundland and Labrador is high and averages 82% throughout the year. Wind speeds average around 24 km/h all through the year in the province.

Ontario and Quebec

Ontario and Quebec generally have warm summers and very cold winters. The temperatures can usually reach a maximum of 27 degrees in the summer months while winter can see temperatures as low as -16 degrees. Average temperatures are not quite as harsh with summer temperatures reaching 18 degrees and winters not normally falling lower than -10 degrees. Rainfall is higher in the summer with average rainfall recorded between 84 an 87mm for the months of June through to September in Ontario and up to 124mm for the same period in Quebec. These months never see snow although the rest of the year generally sees snow fall up to 35cm in the winter months of December and January in Ontario and as deep as 80cm in some parts of Quebec. Humidity across these two provinces averages between 65% and 80% while wind speeds remain fairly low at around 15 to 20km/h.

Territories

Nunavut

The least populated territory of Canada is also the most northerly, and therefore the coldest of all the Canadian regions. The climate in Nunavut is harsh in winter with temperatures being known to fall as low as -30 degrees and beyond. The warmest month is June where temperatures can rise to 12 degrees, but average temperatures in summer are between 3 and 8 degrees. Compared to some other areas of the country there is relatively little rainfall, with the most rain falling in the summer months. March to October sees rainfall of between 2mm and 63mm, with August being the wettest month. Snow however falls almost all year round, with generally only July escaping a snowfall. The spring and summer months see the most sunny days and humidity is fairly even throughout the year generally ranging from between 68% and 80%. Wind is not a large issue in Nunavut with average wind speeds throughout the year around 16km/h.

Yukon and Northwest Territories

The climate for the Yukon and Northern Territories are very similar in that winters are extremely cold and temperatures can drop to -22 degrees and beyond, particularly in the northern parts of the Northern Territories where winters regularly see low temperatures of -30 degrees or colder. Summers on average are around 12-15 degrees. There is very little rainfall in these territories with the majority of the rain falling in summer. Snow falls all year round. Storms are not unknown within these two territories but are very rare and wind speeds are very low, usually between 10 and 15km/h.

Planning your wardrobe for your stay in Canada is easy. Warm clothes and thermal underwear are ideal for the winters, particularly for those moving to the more northern or remote areas, and lightweight clothes for the summer with light cardigans and jackets for evenings out. Those moving to British Columbia or Newfoundland and Labrador may find that their usual clothing choices are perfectly suited.