Why does everyone love Montreal?

[Nouvellecosse]

You can't go just by the average temperatures though since the average for Halifax is actually lower than Toronto too, but people who have lived in both places including my mother and sister can tell you Halifax definitely feels milder. Some of it may have to do with humidity levels which makes the great lakes region feel more damp.

[flar]

The length of winter in Ottawa is the thing that gets to me. Winter is counted in weeks where I grew up and it only snows a few times a year and melts in a few days. Winter is counted in months up here and there is snow on the ground for three months solid at a minimum. How could anyone not notice that?

The temperature is another thing altogether. In February, our friends from Wheatley (near Windsor) came up for a visit during Winterlude. It wasn't even that cold by Ottawa standards and their kids were in the warm up tent crying within 20 minutes of getting to the park. They didn't even get to go down the ice slide once. My daughter was fine, she's used to -10 in the daytime.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

You can't go just by the average temperatures though since the average for Halifax is actually lower than Toronto too, but people who have lived in both places including my mother and sister can tell you Halifax definitely feels milder. Some of it may have to do with humidity levels which makes the great lakes region feel more damp.

I would think the ocean would make it feel colder and more damp than the lakes, but really, I doubt there is much difference in how both regions feel for the most part, and both are far warmer than anything else east of BC.

[north 42]

Originally Posted by flar

The length of winter in Ottawa is the thing that gets to me. Winter is counted in weeks where I grew up and it only snows a few times a year and melts in a few days. Winter is counted in months up here and there is snow on the ground for three months solid at a minimum. How could anyone not notice that?

The temperature is another thing altogether. In February, our friends from Wheatley (near Windsor) came up for a visit during Winterlude. It wasn't even that cold by Ottawa standards and their kids were in the warm up tent crying within 20 minutes of getting to the park. They didn't even get to go down the ice slide once. My daughter was fine, she's used to -10 in the daytime.

Where are you from again?

[flar]

Originally Posted by north 42

Where are you from again?

Wallaceburg/Port Lambton

[north 42]

Just the other side of Lake St. Clair from us.

[flar]

Yup. We cross the border at Algonac and Detroit's suburbs are pretty much right there.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

i prefer the weather in montreal to that of halifax. the winters are colder, in my memory, but somehow purer — snowier, sunnier....

So Montreal in winter is as pure as the driven snow?

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

And yes, Halifax has milder winters than Toronto, although the difference there is not that huge.

Out of curiosity I compared the climate data on Wikipedia. Looks like average winter highs from December to February are essentially the same in Halifax and Toronto, but the lows are significantly lower in Halifax and Halifax gets more snow. Unless I'm missing something, I don't see how this can be qualified as milder in any way.

This thread was supposed to be an expression of love for Montreal, and I've done my part, but if push comes to shove then I'd have to confess that as a cyclist the snowy winters in Montreal would probably make me unhappy. Everyone I talked to in Montreal said you can't ride year round. I'm talking road cycling, anyway. In Toronto/southern Ontario you have dry streets for most of the winter, so even though it's cold you can ride your bike non-stop save for on days with snowstorms. This makes it the best climate for cycling in Canada (and yes, winters are slightly warmer in Vancouver and Victoria, but it rains. A lot. On rainy days I don't ride. You know what people from Seattle and Portland say on cycling forums? That the rainy winters are hell for riding. And it doesn't even rain as much in Portland as it does in Vancouver).

(Of course this will cause a shitstorm of protest from the usual suspects. This was supposed to be about Montreal, damn it!)

[franktko]

Many bike paths are open in the winter (snow removal). We see cyclists all year round...

[Drybrain]

Halifax and Toronto have essentially the same winters--Halifax slightly colder and wetter, I guess, based on this data, but not substantially so.

Since I grew up in Montreal and Calgary, I dislike constant thaws and rain in January/February--it should be cold, dammit! But since I live in Toronto, and will eventually live in Halifax, I guess I should get used to it. Especially with our gradually warming winters.

(To be fair, I was in Calgary over last Christmas, and I had forgotten just how incredibly, impossible-to-be-outside cold it can get. Winter was one of the reasons I also moved away from Edmonton. Too cold for too many months. So maybe the milder winters aren't so bad...just slushier.)

[kool maudit]

Originally Posted by rousseau

So Montreal in winter is as pure as the driven snow?

it's way too long, but it IS sunny and fluffy most years!

[Acajack]

We are Sept. 5, 2013. FYI frost warnings in effect tonight for SW Ontario near Windsor (Chatham-Kent, Lambton County).

[flar]

Originally Posted by Acajack

We are Sept. 5, 2013. FYI frost warnings in effect tonight for SW Ontario near Windsor (Chatham-Kent, Lambton County).

That would be quite an anomaly even in this anomalous non-summer, and could destroy millions of dollars worth of crops

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by flar

That would be quite an anomaly even in this anomalous non-summer, and could destroy millions of dollars worth of crops

And I am sure our friends Bhupinder and José would be shocked to see frost arrive so early...

Frost warnings are also in effect for the Ottawa Valley as well - even for this area this is extremely anomalous, and more than a month before the usual first frost.

[lio45]

FYI rousseau I have seen plenty of people cycling in Sherbrooke winters over the years, generally on mountain bikes though.

(If your thing is strictly road cycling only, then yes southern Ontario is the best place for that averaged on 12 months...)

[flar]

Originally Posted by Acajack

And I am sure our friends Bhupinder and José would be shocked to see frost arrive so early...

Frost warnings are also in effect for the Ottawa Valley as well - even for this area this is extremely anomalous, and more than a month before the usual first frost.

Jose is probably in southern Ontario picking tomatoes and cucumbers right now.

[someone123]

The Toronto data is not comparable to the other data since it's from an urban station and is from a more recent time period than the others.

I've been looking at the 2010 data and it's interesting but this is not the thread for posting weather statistics.

It's a bit of a myth that it rains constantly in Vancouver, and when it does it tends to be much lighter than rain in Central Canada. People also bike in the rain here all the time; I did it for years and it was fine.

[MTLskyline]

^The Halifax and Montreal data are also from urban stations ("Halifax Citadel" and "Montreal McGill"), although the differences in age is a valid point.

Back to Montreal, there is no question that the winters are long, cold and snowy here. On the other hand, we do have quite decent summers (summer-like weather from May through September). Quite a nice balance between temperature, humidity and sunshine here during the summer months. I've never heard of anyone who complained about our weather in the summer. Our spring and fall are also nice seasons (the fall colours in the surrounding Laurentians and Eastern Townships are not to be missed), although quite short. There really are only two seasons here.

[Martin Mtl]

I don't know if it's because of climate change or what, but Montreal's winters have seem very mild to me for the past few years and with more rain (relative to snow) than usual. But I guess it's the same for the rest of the country...

[north 42]

Originally Posted by Acajack

We are Sept. 5, 2013. FYI frost warnings in effect tonight for SW Ontario near Windsor (Chatham-Kent, Lambton County).

Not here in Windsor, we're only going down to 10c, nowhere close to a possible frost!