So I am around as far north/as "cold" (a.k.a "least hot") as I can get for any large, major city, south of the southern border. So there are no more large, major cities that have less hot summers than the one I am in right now, except for those that are in Canada.
I am curious on what are the summers like in these 6 Canadian cities specifically, in terms of actual human experience:
- Toronto
- Ottawa
- Winnipeg
- Edmonton
- Calgary
- Vancouver
How would you describe the summers in these cities? Is it generally comfortable (too hot/cold)? How widespread is AC adapation (percentage wise/etc), and where can I find data on this topic? Is air conditioning universal? Is AC something that is needed every day, or is it only necessary to use it on only rare occassions? How many days are too hot to do rigourous physical activities outdoors?
I know I can already consult the average and percentile data for any city globally, and I did do so already, but an average and percentile can only tell so much. Averages cannot necessarily describe how widespread the local population is going to adapt AC, or if a summer "feels comfortable or not" to a person. (In Melbourne Australia, the average maximum is "only" 26C, but since it can hit 44C then they'd still adapt AC even if it's 2C "colder" than my city).
I am coming from a baseline of 28C as the average daily maximum, 19C for average minimum, and 18C for dew point. A typical year seems a mean absolute maximum around 36C, but this summer has reached 39C with the heat index higher. 94% of households have air conditioning within my current area. So that is my reference point.
Well first off the hottest area in Western Canada is the interior of BC, so between Vancouver & Calgary. The area is very mountainous so weather varies greatly across the region. Lows tend to be colder than on the coast. More snow due to higher elevation. Snow tends to melt between snowfalls. Daytime temps during winter can peak over 0 and drop back down to -10 to -15 at night. Summer highs are mid 35s.
Vancouver: Lots of rain. Less snow due to elevation and often melts or doesn't stick. Typically overcast. Winter lows average above -10.
Calgary / Winnipeg: Colder winters with snow that tends to stay frozen. Winter lows can be much colder, and highs below 0. Summertime is mild compared to hotter areas.
I've only visited the other cities briefly so I can't really speak to their averages. I've seen it pour rain at 30C+ in Ontario. It's much more humid than BC's interior. But the province is also massive so weather will vary.