Climate au Canada
With such a vast territory, Canada has a wide variety of climates, depending on its distance from the oceans: coastal cities enjoy a milder climate than those in the middle of the country. The mood of Canadians is perfectly in tune with the weather, which fluctuates according to temperature, precipitation and Mother Nature's little excesses.
Although summer is warm and beautiful in many parts of the country, it's winter that makes the biggest impression, especially on international visitors and expatriates. Experiencing winter for the first time is certainly an unforgettable experience. Snow, cold and wind can make you fear the worst, but you not only get used to it, you enjoy it, provided you're well dressed. But all is not so idyllic: Canada - like everywhere else - is suffering the impacts of climate change.
The Big Picture of Canada's Climate
The country is divided into seven distinct climatic zones, each influenced by factors such as proximity to major bodies of water (oceans, Great Lakes...), altitude and latitude.
West coast. The West Coast enjoys a microclimate due to its geographical location between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. In winter, temperatures fluctuate between 0°C and 15°C, with generous rainfall, while in summer, the weather is dry and temperatures are equally pleasant (around 25°C).
Cordillera region. The climate differs greatly according to geographical location: the valleys of southern British Columbia enjoy the driest climates in the country, while permanent ice caps are found at higher altitudes, notably in the Yukon. This region is also home to the Chinook, a warm Pacific wind. Loaded with moisture, the wind rises when it meets the Cordillera, causing clouds and precipitation on the western side, and on its descent towards the Prairies, the temperature suddenly rises on the eastern side.
Prairies. A land of contrasts, the summers here are very hot and the winters are particularly harsh and windy. Above- and below-average conditions are frequent and recur cyclically. Another cyclical phenomenon: years of rain and floods followed by major droughts.
Great Lakes. In summer, warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico dominates, and the passage of cold fronts can trigger fairly violent thunderstorms. The southern part of the region enjoys plenty of sunshine and warmth. Winter is milder here than in continental regions further from the shore, and snowstorms can turn to freezing rain or even rain further south. Coastal areas often experience snow squalls caused by the prevailing "Snow Belt" wind.
East coast. The humid climate south of the St. Lawrence and along the Atlantic fringe results in a heavy, muggy atmosphere in summer, and heavy snow, fog and storms in winter. The Atlantic provinces receive more precipitation year-round, especially Newfoundland, and temperature variations are less extreme than in Quebec.
Subarctic and Arctic zones. The subarctic climate is found in the center, in the Canadian Shield, and brings harsh winters and short, cool summers. Precipitation generally occurs in summer, although it is also present in winter in Ungava-Labrador, which receives more snow than the Northwest. As for the Arctic climate of the Far North, winter dominates most of the year, with summer temperatures not exceeding 10°C. There is little annual precipitation, causing what is known as arctic drought.
The midnight sun and the polar night
Both phenomena occur in the northernmost and southernmost regions of the world, more precisely in the polar circles. The number of days of continuous sunshine or darkness increases the further north you go: from 24 hours at the lowest latitude, to six months at the North Pole. Needless to say, these phenomena should be taken into account by anyone planning a trip to Canada's Far North.
What is wind chill and humidex?
In Canada, if you check the weather news or an app like The Weather Network, you'll see that there are always two temperatures: actual and felt. But what is this famous "felt temperature"? It is actually a feeling rather than a measurable data. It takes into account two factors, the wind chill (FRE) in winter and the humidex in summer.
In the case of the wind chill, it is the sensation of coldness caused by the wind and felt on the exposed skin. The humidex, on the other hand, takes into account the humidity level in the air. In both cases, they are used to measure the level of discomfort and risk to the body.
In the near future, however, these two indices may be replaced by the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). It does not combine temperature with any other factor, but rather incorporates four: temperature, air humidity, wind speed, and sunshine, that is, the amount of solar radiation one receives.
Climate Change Impacts in Canada
The impact of climate change is a hot topic around the world, and Canada is no exception. According to an Environment Canada report published in 2022, global warming has averaged 1.9°C since 1948, twice as fast as on the rest of the planet. The resulting impacts are numerous, notably on the health and safety of the population (respiratory and cardiovascular problems due to an increase in the number and duration of heat waves, or increased air pollution). Some plant and animal species could disappear and others move further north, while exotic or harmful species have already appeared, as witnessed by the rapid spread of Lyme disease-carrying ticks in the south of the country. Rising sea levels, shrinking ice cover - particularly in the Arctic - thawing permafrost, torrential rains, more frequent storms and freeze-thaw cycles, extreme conditions conducive to forest fires and summer water shortages, are also having disastrous effects on infrastructure, as well as on economic sectors such as agriculture, forestry, mining and tourism. Solutions do exist, and Canada claims loudly that it wants to respect the Paris Agreement it ratified in 2015, but we need to get serious about them without waiting any longer.
