And how much worse is the snow? Moving there and doing more research here.. Thanks everyone!

It depends on how far you are from the water. Inland areas in the HRM are probably slightly colder and Coastal locations are slightly warmer. Snowfall is greater then Toronto, but we also get much more rain which can wash away a big dumping of snow in a few days. Overall it really varies a lot from year to year: 03,04,05 were very snowy years, while 98,99,00,02,06 are generally mild and snowfree.

As the fellow above says, they are pretty much the same temperatures in winter, and Toronto gets a lot hotter in the summer. In Jan, Halifax has normal max of -1c and a normal low of -9. Toronto for Jan has normal high of -2c and normal low of -10c. February they are exactly the same. So Halifax is slightly warmer in Dec and Jan but I don't know if the humidity/winds are the same in both places.

More snow, more rain, less cold.

My mother, who's lived in both TO and Hfx, says that she found TO colder, since the air was very damp. She says of TO winters: "It's a very bone chilling cold. In NS, when the air is damp, the dampness settles quickly, and the air becomes nice and soft. But in TO, the dampless hangs in the air"

Very nice replies. I'm pleasantly surprised. Thanks a lot guys. Is it reasonable to say that HFX is the second warmest city in Canada, next to Vancouver?

Windsor is quite warm. I think St. Catharines would be warmer than Halifax as well.

Well, I know Nova Scotia is the warmest province in the country as a whole lol

Well basically all of BC is warmer than anywhere else in the winter.
Windsor/Chatham/Sarnia are quite mild as is the Niagara.
Calgary/Lethbridge are very pleasant as eventhough it can get cold it is a very dry, sunny cold with those blissful Chinooks which can make you, atleast temporarily, forget its winter.
Chinook is the native word for "snow eater".

Very nice replies. I'm pleasantly surprised. Thanks a lot guys. Is it reasonable to say that HFX is the second warmest city in Canada, next to Vancouver?
Windsor, Ontario is probably the second mildest. As I said before, Halifax is
one degree celsius warmer in Dec and Jan than Toronto. You may, or may not notice the difference when you move, but it will be similar.

Windsor, Ontario is probably the second mildest. As I said before, Halifax is
one degree celsius warmer in Dec and Jan than Toronto. You may, or may not notice the difference when you move, but it will be similar.

Halifax is slightly milder then Windsor and Niagara Falls by 0.1C, but febuary on is a bit cooler in Halifax. Either way Nova Scotia has a crappy climate given its latitude.

Halifax is slightly milder then Windsor and Niagara Falls by 0.1C, but febuary on is a bit cooler in Halifax. Either way Nova Scotia has a crappy climate given its latitude.

According to theweathernetwork.com (which gets its data from Environment Canada), Windsor's daily highs for Dec/Jan/Feb (respectively) are 2c/0c/0c
Halifax's daily highs for Dec/Jan/Feb(respectively) are 1c/-1c/-1c.
Where did you get your statistics? I think it can be said that Windsor is the warmest city outside of BC, but honestly it is splitting hairs. If the question was is Halifax colder than Toronto in the winter, the answer is no... but the reality is they have very similar temperatures in the winter with Toronto statistically being 1c colder. It is difficult for humans to be sensitive enough to determine that small a difference in temperature for day to day living. If a Canadian is looking for a warm city to live in, in the winter, I would have to suggest moving outside Canada to say Puerto Vallarta or Florida. Personally, I don't consider any Canadian cities to be warm in the winter. I suppose Victoria is the mildest in the winter, with Dec and Jan highs normally being 7c.

I found mine from the environment Canada

Halifax (http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=HALIFAX&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=6357&)

Windsor (http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=Windsor&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=4716&)

You are right, in the winter there would no real difference in the cold. The difference is insignificant and not worth mentioning. What I mean by Nova Scotia having a crappy climate is this: places like Toronto are about the same in the winter, but much warmer in the summer and Vancouver is about the same in the summer but much warmer in the winter. So we lose out in the summer and winter.

I found mine from the environment Canada

Halifax (http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=HALIFAX&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=6357&)

Windsor (http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=Windsor&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=4716&)


You are right, in the winter there would no real difference in the cold. The difference is insignificant and not worth mentioning. What I mean by Nova Scotia having a crappy climate is this: places like Toronto are about the same in the winter, but much warmer in the summer and Vancouver is about the same in the summer but much warmer in the winter. So we lose out in the summer and winter.

I thouhgt TO's summer time is not comfortable due to its humidity and higher temperature...

I thouhgt TO's summer time is not comfortable due to its humidity and higher temperature...
I guess it depends on what your preferences are. I personnally like summer heat. :cheers:

I would imagine Toronto would seem confortable if you are coming from Dallas and Halifax may seem a little cool!

Just for reference

Average July temperature
Dallas: 35C
Toronto: 27C
Halifax: 23C

I guess it depends on what your preferences are. I personnally like summer heat. :cheers:

I would imagine Toronto would seem confortable if you are coming from Dallas and Halifax may seem a little cool!

Just for reference

Average July temperature
Dallas: 35C
Toronto: 27C
Halifax: 23C

DFW is not too bad since the humidity is low in summer; still there is not much to do outdoors, simply too hot! TO's summer can feel like 40s right due to proximity to the Lake.

I'm so ready for the cool summer in HFX! :) :cheers:

It doesn't feel cool though. Humidity is often 100%, and rain is a blessing. Still, half the time the weather's great! It's probably a bit better "doing stuff outside" weather than TO but there's not a huge difference. Less smog I guess.

I came from the West, and it took me 2 years to get used to the humidity in Toronto. Once you get used to it, it is fine... summers are gorgeous if you like beach weather
(which I do!!!) and winters are gross, of course (this is Canada after all! ). Winter weather runs the gamet of sun, rain, snow, sleet, slush, rain, etc.. hideous.
The reason I suspected Windsor to be the second warmest was they are noticeably warmer year round than here, anyhow... they always seem hotter, winter or summer.
Here are beach pix from here last week:

http://img486.imageshack.us/img486/879/july0206kewbeachleutylifeguard1.jpg

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/7816/july0206kewbeachii3le.jpg

http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/73/july0206kewbeachiii0tz.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/1211/july0206ashbridgebayvx5tm.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/1020/july0206ashbridgebayvix2ui.jpg

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/2355/july0206ashbridgebayviii4wc.jpg

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9599/july0206ashbridgebayvi4lq.jpg

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/4227/july0206ashbridgebayv2fw.jpg

anyone got pix of their fave beach?

Taller, Better: the beaches are TO or Windsor? Very nice!!!

Taller, Better: the beaches are TO or Windsor? Very nice!!!

They are in Toronto... a few miles of them on the East side of downtown, mostly in an area of town called (appropriately) The Beaches!

The beaches in the Halifax area aren't as "urban", most of the major beaches (Queensland in the west and Lawrencetown in the east, etc) are far from the city core because the harbour area is too polluted to swim. Most of the beaches "in" the city are on lakes.

The beaches in the Halifax area aren't as "urban", most of the major beaches (Queensland in the west and Lawrencetown in the east, etc) are far from the city core because the harbour area is too polluted to swim. Most of the beaches "in" the city are on lakes.

Yeah, I read somewhere that there is enough sewage going into the harbour every 4 days to fill the skydome (rogers centre now). Just something for everyone to think about lol.

I was at "The Beaches" in Toronto last month - a really cool area, very trendy and lots of cool shops and restaurants. The beach itself is really nice, although I'm not sure that swimming is encouraged as it's on Toronto frontage of Lake Ontario? Taller, Better what is the protocol on swimming there?

There are a lot of nice Atlantic Ocean beaches within the greater Halifax area (within 1/2 hour - 1 hour). The water is plenty safe although it can be pretty cold, especially for the first part of the summer. You get used to it, though.

They are in Toronto... a few miles of them on the East side of downtown, mostly in an area of town called (appropriately) The Beaches!

Is The Beaches connected to the Waterfront Park and close to the CN Tower? Thanks man

Is The Beaches connected to the Waterfront Park and close to the CN Tower? Thanks man

No, they are due west along the lake front. They start about ... mmm.. I am not great with distances.. I would say one mile to the west at Cherry Beach, and continue along for a couple of miles to Scarborough Bluffs. Here are some pix of Scarborough Bluffs... I normally do not post anyone else's pix but my own but I don't have any good pix yet of the Bluffs.

http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/4677/bluffs7ot.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1526/scarboroughbluffsexcellentshot.jpg

http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/7986/scarboroughbluffs0ra.jpg

http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/101/bluffs296004ju.jpg

From that area you spoke of, a person may want to take the short ferry ride across to the Toronto Islands, where there are beautiful beaches. This is the nude beach on Hanlan's Island, but there are loads of other non nude ones for the more shy!

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/1628/may2906torontoislandshanlansbe.jpg


I was at "The Beaches" in Toronto last month - a really cool area, very trendy and lots of cool shops and restaurants. The beach itself is really nice, although I'm not sure that swimming is encouraged as it's on Toronto frontage of Lake Ontario? Taller, Better what is the protocol on swimming there?

There are a lot of nice Atlantic Ocean beaches within the greater Halifax area (within 1/2 hour - 1 hour). The water is plenty safe although it can be pretty cold, especially for the first part of the summer. You get used to it, though.

each separate beach is monitored for water cleanliness.. I think the cold water is more of a deterent than any pollution! The lakes are deep and the water, to me, is cold.

Really beautiful Thanks a lot Taller. /Does the lake freeze in winter? Do ppl skate on it

Really beautiful Thanks a lot Taller. /Does the lake freeze in winter? Do ppl skate on it


I'll never forget when I first moved to Toronto, and a friend took me to the intersection of Warden and Kingston Rd, and he lead me up to the path that goes down the cliff to the secluded beaches below. I was awestruck... suddenly we were looking down 300 feet onto a huge body of water, and it looked for all the world like we had been transported to a different country. I have been going back every since. The beaches at Scarborough Bluffs are quite similar in some ways to Wreck Beach in Vancouver. Anyone got their favourite Wreck Beach, or other Vancouver beach pix for us? I'm not sure, but someone told me ther is a man-made beach near one of the subway stops in Montreal... anyone got a pic of that?
Whether the lake freezes or not depends on the severity of the winter. On a mild winter it will not freeze at all... on a very cold winter it will freeze for a way out. On cold winters the ferries to the Islands must break the ice as it forms. You could not skate on lake ice... it forms too roughly ( I believe). You can skate on river ice, or on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. There are many outdoor skating rinks in Toronto for people to enjoy in winter.

Some of my fav beaches from N.S.

http://www.novascotiabeachrental.com/big-beach.jpg

http://www.innovativeproperties.com/images/Fabian1.jpg

http://www.gohalifax.ca/photos/images/Lawrencetown.jpg

http://community.webshots.com/photo/83262229/1083262477043469050nkgRsA#

http://www.chess-theory.com/images2/enva02041507_aspyba.jpg

http://www.gaboteuxtours.com/images/aspybay.jpg

http://www.destination-ns.com/graphics/artgallery/images/air_004.jpg

http://www.joshgelfman.com/trip/images/2001_08_11_046.jpg

http://www.our-trips.com/novas/louis/P0001074_wp.jpg

Hey Ryan, thanks!! Very nice! Reminds me a lot of Maine..

There are a number of places around Halifax where they measure temperature and snowfall.

This place is only a few KM from the city:

http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=sandy%20cove&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=6461&&autofwd=1

+0.4 for an average January high, 105 cm of snow a year.


...and this is the airport:

http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=halifax&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=6358&

-1.2 in January, and 230 cm (!) of snow in the winter.

Suffice it to say that the amount of snowfall varies tremendously between different parts of the city. The closer to the water you are, the less you will get. The first station is both milder on average and received less snow than anywhere in the GTA, or anywhere in Ontario for that matter.

There are other differences as well. For example, Halifax gets 340 hours of sunshine in the winter and Toronto gets only 273 hours. Day to day temperature swings are also less severe in Halifax. Toronto averages may be pretty close but in Toronto they tend to get more real "heat waves" in the winter along with more extreme cold while most of the time the temperature within Halifax stays within about 5 degrees of the norm. At Halifax Citadel only 0.9 days per year hit -20 and only 0.9 get above +30. At Pearson, 5 days a year dip below -20 and 13 days get above +30. Also note that in the winter Halifax gets mostly rain while in Toronto it's mostly snow.

I have spent a lot of time in both cities (I am in Toronto for a four month term right now). Toronto is significantly nicer in the spring and also gets a lot less rain, but has much more extreme temperature swings. Halifax's climate appears to be considerably easier on plants as well since a lot of things grow there (many of them green year-round) that you don't really see in Toronto. Going from Toronto to Halifax is almost like going from Halifax to Vancouver.

There are a number of places around Halifax where they measure temperature and snowfall.

This place is only a few KM from the city:

http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=sandy%20cove&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=6461&&autofwd=1

+0.4 for an average January high, 105 cm of snow a year.


...and this is the airport:

http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_e.html?Province=ALL&StationName=halifax&SearchType=BeginsWith&LocateBy=Province&Proximity=25&ProximityFrom=City&StationNumber=&IDType=MSC&CityName=&ParkName=&LatitudeDegrees=&LatitudeMinutes=&LongitudeDegrees=&LongitudeMinutes=&NormalsClass=A&SelNormals=&StnId=6358&

-1.2 in January, and 230 cm (!) of snow in the winter.

Suffice it to say that the amount of snowfall varies tremendously between different parts of the city. The closer to the water you are, the less you will get. The first station is both milder on average and received less snow than anywhere in the GTA, or anywhere in Ontario for that matter.

There are other differences as well. For example, Halifax gets 340 hours of sunshine in the winter and Toronto gets only 273 hours. Day to day temperature swings are also less severe in Halifax. Toronto averages may be pretty close but in Toronto they tend to get more real "heat waves" in the winter along with more extreme cold while most of the time the temperature within Halifax stays within about 5 degrees of the norm. At Halifax Citadel only 0.9 days per year hit -20 and only 0.9 get above +30. At Pearson, 5 days a year dip below -20 and 13 days get above +30. Also note that in the winter Halifax gets mostly rain while in Toronto it's mostly snow.

I have spent a lot of time in both cities (I am in Toronto for a four month term right now). Toronto is significantly nicer in the spring and also gets a lot less rain, but has much more extreme temperature swings. Halifax's climate appears to be considerably easier on plants as well since a lot of things grow there (many of them green year-round) that you don't really see in Toronto. Going from Toronto to Halifax is almost like going from Halifax to Vancouver.


Very nice; you did such a good job, Haligonian.

"Going from Toronto to Halifax is almost like going from Halifax to Vancouver".
Wow... you really find it that much different? I am amazed! Where in Toronto do you live? Downtown tends to be milder in winter than Pearson airport.

I would not have expected that much of a difference either.

If statistically the difference is only 1C, then it is difficult to imagine that a person would notice much difference. It is difficult to compare as you would be comparing Winter A to Winter B. Most East coast people I know in Toronto said it is very similar temps but they get a lot more snow in Halifax on a normal winter. I think it may be overstating it to say that going from TO to Halifax is like going from Halifax to Vancouver... there is a CONSIDERABLE difference between winters in Halifax and winters in Vancouver! :)

Well, that sentence was put with the three others in the same paragraph for a reason. You can't just sever it from the rest and then pretend that it refers to whatever you want.

Judging the winter climates of the two cities based on the average temperature during one month is also pretty inadequate.

Let's look at some other items in the climate data. I will use the Halifax Citadel and Toronto weather stations in January to compare, although they aren't quite comparable.

1. Average temperatures are approximately the same. Halifax has higher daily highs on average but lower lows (probably a product of Toronto's heat island effect, maybe something highly specific to the locations of the stations).

2. Standard deviation: 1.7 in Halifax, 2.7 in Toronto (in Vancouver 1.9). Toronto temperatures are considerably more variable from year to year (and from day to day).

3. Record high temperatures are 14 in Halifax, 16 in Toronto. Record low is -26 in Halifax and -33 in Toronto (a 7 degree difference.. for the record, the difference between Vancouver Int'l and Halifax is 8 degrees).

4. Rainfall in Toronto is 29 mm on average. In Halifax it is 112 mm, over three times greater.

5. Snowfall in Toronto averages 38.2 cm. Snowfall in Halifax averages 38.4 cm (0.5% more).

6. Precipitation in Halifax is 150 mm, roughly tied with Vancouver and more than twice Toronto's 60 mm. In Toronto, snow is almost 2/3 of what comes down in January. In Halifax, it's only 1/4.

7. Snow depth at month end averages 5 cm in Halifax, 7 cm in Toronto.

8. Toronto gets 12 days with some kind of snowfall on average. Halifax gets 6. Halifax averages 1.3 days with a real snow storm (> 10 cm), Toronto averages 0.9.

9. Sunshine data isn't available for Halifax. According to http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/weather/winners/, Halifax gets 339 hours during an average winter and Toronto gets 273 hours.

It is all splitting hairs, as far as I am concerned. One could examine weather records til the cows come home, but it would not change the fact that both cities have crappy winters. This is Canada, after all, not Mexico. Does a degree here or there, or the odd snowflake really matter? The city in Canada with the best winters is Victoria but even it is not Miami. Other than that they all have winter weather that has its pluses and minuses- mostly minuses.

Well, from my mother's prespective, the major difference is the humidity. She says that in the summer, she spent all her time sitting by the a/c, because she just couldn't stand to be outside for very long. It was the dampness that made the biggest difference to her in he winter as well. Things like weather can be pretty subjective, but she certainly found the difference to be quite striking.

Well, from my mother's prespective, the major difference is the humidity. She says that in the summer, she spent all her time sitting by the a/c, because she just couldn't stand to be outside for very long. It was the dampness that made the biggest difference to her in he winter as well. Things like weather can be pretty subjective, but she certainly found the difference to be quite striking.

The humidity here is startling, and absolutely takes time to get used to. As I said it took me two years to acclimatize to it. It is noticeable not only in the summer, like right now, but in the winter as well. In the winter it can be every bit as humid here as in Vancouver where I have also spent a lot of time, too. I'm surprised Halifax does not get the humidity, being on the ocean but I can definitely see someone feeling it when they come to TO.

Why couldnt the questioner go unto google?

Good heavens, how did you find this ancient thread! LOL!

my former roommate was from Halifax. she said Halifax is colder. although i don't think they get those cold snaps we sometimes get in the winter.

:lol:

What I don't understand, is the following: Its only in the last ten years or so, that us out west here "know" of bad (coastal effect) storms that wallop the Halifax area. Is that a recent climatic trend, or is there another reason why the storms there merit attention to the far other side of Canader?

As to H. being colder than T. .... I'd say no (as a first approximation), on account of the proximity of the ocean tempering climates, while T. gets the (full) brunt of the Arctic Express while suffering ice over fresh water that freezes faster than salt water.

But there is a huge difference in the temperatures/climate effects on the East Coast vs the West Coast. There are places close to an ocean that get very cold,
and get a lot of snow.

Halifax is much more milder than toronto in the winter, but less warmer in the summer.

Halifax is much more milder than toronto in the winter, but less warmer in the summer.

Statistically, Halifax is 1c milder than Toronto in the winter, although I realize that "statistics" don't always tell the whole story. Calgary
and Toronto are also statistically close in temps in the winter, but Calgary gets MUCH greater swings down and up than Toronto.

my former roommate was from Halifax. she said Halifax is colder. although i don't think they get those cold snaps we sometimes get in the winter.Unfortunately we certainly can get severa cold snaps here but it doesn't usually happen more than once every other year. Our temps do greatly vary though. When we get a storm it usually gets warmer, generally starting as snow and finishing as rain. It's coldest when clear. As far as big "coastal effect" storms, although we can get big storms, it isn't like the "lake effect" snow in places like Buffalo since we usually get mostly rain.

As to H. being colder than T. .... I'd say no (as a first approximation), on account of the proximity of the ocean tempering climates, while T. gets the (full) brunt of the Arctic Express while suffering ice over fresh water that freezes faster than salt water.

the only Great Lake that ever freezes over is Lake Erie

Unfortunately we certainly can get severa cold snaps here but it doesn't usually happen more than once every other year. Our temps do greatly vary though. When we get a storm it usually gets warmer, generally starting as snow and finishing as rain. It's coldest when clear. As far as big "coastal effect" storms, although we can get big storms, it isn't like the "lake effect" snow in places like Buffalo since we usually get mostly rain.

same thing in Toronto. it sucks that it's rarely sunny and mild at the same time in the winter.

Toronto's temperature tends to vary far more than that of Halifax which gives the impression that Toronto is a significantly colder city in the winter time. Those -20C Toronto days are what stick in people's memory. Halifax gets far fewer and less extreme cold snaps like that. What we forget are the warm snaps that Toronto gets.

Factoring in the sometimes mild temperatures that Toronto can get in the winter, Toronto is still colder on average, but not by that much.