What is the Snowiest Month in your Region of Canada?
Canada experiences big snowfalls during the winter. However, when those flakes start to fall depends on where you live.
Snow prevails throughout January. Snow can fall early in September or late into the spring in some parts of the country, but there is still a surprise.
Canadians Experience Their Most Snowy Month in January
January is the snowiest month of the year for most Canadians.
Southern Ontario, southern Quebec, and the Maritimes receive their most snowfall in the first month of the year.
Typically, Pearson Airport in Toronto receives 31.5 cm of snow each January. Climate normals were calculated based on weather data observed between 1991 and 2020. Toronto typically measures 114.5 cm of snow in a season, and January’s average snow makes up about 27 percent of that.
Further east, major cities such as Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, and St. John’s are experiencing similar conditions.
Who is to blame? Low-pressure systems are moving across the country from the United States. Storms in this part of the world often bring an excess of Gulf moisture north with them, resulting in storms that can cause the heaviest snowfall.
Read Also: 1.7m UK Households are not Turning on Their Heating this Winter
Prairie Spring Surprises Abound
Snowfall patterns differ sharply between the south and the north on the Prairies and farther west into B.C.
Winnipeg, Regina, and even Vancouver often experience the heaviest snowfall during December. Saskatoon and Edmonton have to shovel the most snow during January, while others wait until later.
Southern Alberta presents a different picture. Among all the months in Calgary, March has the most snowfall.
Snow often falls along the Alberta foothills in the spring when stubborn cold air mixes with tropical moisture washing north of the border.
Snowfall is Most Common in the Far North in the Fall
Snow would seem to dominate the Far North’s winters. However, autumn is the snowiest season in the northern Prairies and the territories.
Snowfall totals are highest along Hudson Bay’s shores and in communities like Whitehorse and Yellowknife during September, October, and November.
Given how bitterly cold it gets up north in winter, it makes sense. When the temperature is -30°C, there is less moisture in the air, so big snowstorms are rare. Northern storms that occur early in the season feature milder temperatures.
Snowstorms in February Can be Scary for U.S Visitors
Snowbirds heading south may encounter hulking snowstorms later in the season.
Snowfall totals are highest in the American Rockies during February and March due to tropical influences.
Snowstorms typically hit the Interstate 95 corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston in February. Nor’easters that roar up the eastern seaboard during the final full month of winter often cause this.
Atlanta, Dallas, and even portions of the northern Gulf Coast have a difficult time catching snowstorms. The storms tend to strike during January, as the season’s coldest air digs deep into the country.
Read Also: Las Vegas is Recovering from Unexpected, Record-Breaking Snowfall
