# Summer snow in Calgary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 7, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112 "2012-04-07T20:18:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/1 "2012-04-07T20:18:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Since weather statistics have been recorded, Calgary has experienced snow on every day of the year – but not all in one year of course. From [here](http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Calgary_Climate). I find that hard to believe. Can any locals weigh in? ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/2 "2012-04-07T20:43:40Z")
I can’t give a cite because it was 20 or 25 years ago, but I drove to work one afternoon through light snow flurries in July. Others at work had, too, and we talked about it. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/3 "2012-04-07T20:48:52Z")
For what it’s worth, here’s some data for weather at Calgary’s airport on August 1 (lowest temperature was 2.2 Celsius in 1917): [http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac\_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1) And for July 15 (2.5 Celsius in 1999): [http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac\_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=7&Day=15](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=7&Day=15) Neither mentions any snowfall, though. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/4 "2012-04-07T20:52:18Z")
It has snowed in every month of the year in my lifetime. I’m 35 🙂 Of course, the snow doesn’t stick around for very long in June, July, August and September - but it most certainly does snow. It always snows May long weekend (and yet people still camp) and there is snow on the ground for Halloween more often than not. (a costume MUST fit over your snowsuit) I’m a little surprised find out it has snowed on every single day at some point - but I can see it. Heck, it’s snowing right now. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/5 "2012-04-07T20:56:40Z")
> [@Fish\_Cheer](#): > > From [here](http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Calgary_Climate). > > I find that hard to believe. Can any locals weigh in? Why do you find that hard to believe? Calgary is pretty far North even for a Canadian city and its on a far inland prairie where unusual weather can take hold at any time. There are parts of the U.S. that make similar claims but those tend to be in the Mountain West. Are more interesting question how far South can you go in North America to find a place with a similar claim? It can even snow in the summer in parts of Northern New England. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/6 "2012-04-07T21:12:34Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Calgary is pretty far North even for a Canadian city and its on a far inland prairie where unusual weather can take hold at any time. And it’s far from the moderating influence of large bodies of water. Thus it has hotter hots and colder colds than a place at similar latitude next to the sea would. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/7 "2012-04-07T21:26:41Z")
It’s not the latitude, it’s the altitude. Calgary is in the foothills next to the Rocky Mountains. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/8 "2012-04-07T21:32:15Z")
Yeah, Saskatoon is further north and further from any moderating bodies of water than Calgary is, and there’s no way we’ve had snow on every day of the year. Not sure I believe Calgary has, either, unless you go back to the last glacial maximum, but I do believe Calgary has had summer snow on a lot more days than Saskatoon has. It’s definitely the mountains, not the latitude. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/9 "2012-04-07T21:32:24Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Why do you find that hard to believe? Calgary is pretty far North even for a Canadian city and its on a far inland prairie where unusual weather can take hold at any time. I grew up in Europe. It certainly does not snow in London, Cologne or Wroclaw in August; all three cities lie on or near the same parallel as Calgary. Is this all about the Gulf Stream? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/10 "2012-04-07T21:38:25Z")
> [@Fish\_Cheer](#): > > I grew up in Europe. It certainly does not snow in London, Cologne or Wroclaw in August; all three cities lie on or near the same parallel as Calgary. Is this all about the Gulf Stream? Yes it is. It shocks me every time when I look at a globe and see how far north much of Europe is. That Gulf Stream is saving your ass from freezing to death so you better hope that it stays in place. North America doesn’t work the same way. Canada is very cold in general except when it is very hot which is why most of the population huddles within 100 miles of the U.S. border and even many of those border states are cold too except when they are scorching hot. North America has a lot going for it geographically but moderate weather isn’t one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/11 "2012-04-07T22:16:19Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > For what it’s worth, here’s some data for weather at Calgary’s airport on August 1 (lowest temperature was 2.2 Celsius in 1917): > > [http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac\_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1) > > And for July 15 (2.5 Celsius in 1999): > > [http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac\_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=7&Day=15](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=ALTA&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=7&Day=15) > > Neither mentions any snowfall, though. One thing I’d note is that it doesn’t need to be below zero for there to be snowfall here - as noted above, it’s snowing here today, and the air temperature is about 5. Microbursts from the mountains are pretty frequent. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/12 "2012-04-07T22:20:58Z")
> [@Raygun99](#): > > One thing I’d note is that it doesn’t need to be below zero for there to be snowfall here - as noted above, it’s snowing here today, and the air temperature is about 5. Microbursts from the mountains are pretty frequent. Yeah, I don’t think places that boast such facts are strict about the details. It is more of a point of pride about their harsh location. It wouldn’t take sticking snow. A few flakes here and there on a given day are enough to count for these purposes. ---
**Author:** ![W0X0F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@W0X0F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/W0X0F)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/13 "2012-04-08T00:22:08Z")
This isn’t true. Snow every month of the year at one time or another, yes - but not every day. Here are the official [records](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=AB&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1) for Calgary from Environment Canada. Stepping through August shows only three days with snow. And a day with a few flakes in the air that didn’t accumulate would show up as a trace, not zero. So yes, weather in the Canadian Prairies can be extreme, but it’s not _that_ extreme! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/14 "2012-04-08T01:17:48Z")
> [@W0X0F](#): > > This isn’t true. Snow every month of the year at one time or another, yes - but not every day. Here are the official [records](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=AB&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1) for Calgary from Environment Canada. Stepping through August shows only three days with snow. And a day with a few flakes in the air that didn’t accumulate would show up as a trace, not zero. > > So yes, weather in the Canadian Prairies can be extreme, but it’s not _that_ extreme! Those are from selected weather stations. It takes much less than that to make such a record. Just a few snowflakes reported anywhere in the area is enough. New England gets fairly hot in the summer yet I would be confident that you could say that it has had snowfall every day of the year as well even it it was just on top of Mount Washington (home to the worst weather in the world according to some claims). There was also 1816, the year without a summer because of volcanic activity in Asia. None of that means that you shouldn’t send you kids to summer camp in New Hampshire or you need to bring a winter coat to Calgary in July. They are just boasting on the variability of their weather. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/15 "2012-04-08T01:25:19Z")
> [@W0X0F](#): > > This isn’t true. Snow every month of the year at one time or another, yes - but not every day. Here are the official [records](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=AB&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1) for Calgary from Environment Canada. Stepping through August shows only three days with snow. And a day with a few flakes in the air that didn’t accumulate would show up as a trace, not zero. > > So yes, weather in the Canadian Prairies can be extreme, but it’s not _that_ extreme! That’s only four years of data, though. For the record, I went through all the recorded data they have 12 August dates with at least a trace of snow recorded. The amusing thing in going through those records is how variable seasonal weather can be here - there were Septembers with 80+ cm of snow followed by Septembers with only a trace. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/16 "2012-04-08T01:54:03Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Yes it is. It shocks me every time when I look at a globe and see how far north much of Europe is. That Gulf Stream is saving your ass from freezing to death so you better hope that it stays in place. > > North America doesn’t work the same way. Canada is very cold in general except when it is very hot which is why most of the population huddles within 100 miles of the U.S. border and even many of those border states are cold too except when they are scorching hot. North America has a lot going for it geographically but moderate weather isn’t one of them. To expand on this: [Here is the climate of Havre, MT, at 48°33′N. Note how the average low in January (the coldest month) is 3.7° F (−15.7° C) and the average high in July (the hottest month) is 84.6° F (29.2° C).](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havre,_Montana#Climate) Records are 111° F (44° C) and -57° F (-49° C). [Here is the climate of Nuuk (Godthåb), capital of Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland), at about 64°10′00″N. Average low in January (coldest month) is 14° F (-10° C) and the average high in July (the hottest month) is 49.8° F (9.9° C).](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuuk#Climate) Records are 75° F (24° C) and -20° F (-29° C). Needless to say, Nuuk is right on the coast, whereas Havre is in the middle of the high plains many miles from any substantial body of water (and, no, the Milk River is not substantial). ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/17 "2012-04-08T04:34:00Z")
> [@W0X0F](#): > > This isn’t true. Snow every month of the year at one time or another, yes - but not every day. Here are the official [records](http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climateData/almanac_e.html?timeframe=4&Prov=AB&StationID=2205&Year=2001&Month=8&Day=1) for Calgary from Environment Canada. Stepping through August shows only three days with snow. And a day with a few flakes in the air that didn’t accumulate would show up as a trace, not zero. > > So yes, weather in the Canadian Prairies can be extreme, but it’s not _that_ extreme! This doesn’t say what you think it says - this is only recording accumulated snow. It flurries around here all the damn time. And some of the temps listed - -3, -7, -2, etc. any precipitation on those days is going to be snow. Anyway, I’m local and I can easily believe this stat. It’s not a ton of snow in the summer months - usually flurries that melt before they hit the ground, but it’s snow. ---
**Author:** ![W0X0F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b77776/32.png) [@W0X0F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/W0X0F)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/18 "2012-04-08T05:45:18Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Those are from selected weather stations. It takes much less than that to make such a record. Just a few snowflakes reported anywhere in the area is enough. Yes, but it’s not a record if it wasn’t officially observed somewhere and the airport is about it for long-term weather observations in Calgary. > [@Raygun99](#): > > That’s only four years of data, though. For the record, I went through all the recorded data they have 12 August dates with at least a trace of snow recorded. Actual data is shown for the last four years, but the extremes are for the whole period of record - 1884 to more or less now. (The normals are a 30-year average - either 1971-2000 or maybe they’re now using 1981-2010.) > [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > This doesn’t say what you think it says - this is only recording accumulated snow. > > It flurries around here all the damn time. And some of the temps listed - -3, -7, -2, etc. any precipitation on those days is going to be snow. > > Anyway, I’m local and I can easily believe this stat. It’s not a ton of snow in the summer months - usually flurries that melt before they hit the ground, but it’s snow. It does say what I’m saying. If a few flakes were observed, then the total for the day would be recorded as a trace, not zero and that would be the record for that day. (I have to admit that I would like to find a day where the record is explicitly recorded as a trace, but I haven’t found one yet in my limited looking.) Look, I’m not saying Alberta weather can’t be variable and extreme. Just that over the past 125-odd years, it _hasn’t_ snowed every day of the year in Calgary one year or another. 300 days? Sure. Not 366. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/19 "2012-04-08T06:13:05Z")
Regardless. I’ve lived in Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge; and I’ve seen snow fall in every month of the year. Whether it accumulates or not doesn’t matter, IMHO; I’ve seen snow in all months of the year. In my experience, Alberta enjoys all four seasons, but sometimes they overlap. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112/20 "2012-04-08T06:18:45Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > It’s not the latitude, it’s the altitude. Calgary is in the foothills next to the Rocky Mountains. Yup. That also moderates our summer weather - new immigrants to Calgary take a while to get used to the cool summer nights here - it is rare to have a hot night here (which is great for sleeping; less great for outside parties). > [@Fish\_Cheer](#): > > I grew up in Europe. It certainly does not snow in London, Cologne or Wroclaw in August; all three cities lie on or near the same parallel as Calgary. Is this all about the Gulf Stream? We pay close attention to the gulf stream here, too - that bastarding thing likes to dip way down below us and freeze us to death all too often. > [@Shagnasty](#): > > \ > None of that means that you shouldn’t send you kids to summer camp in New Hampshire or you need to bring a winter coat to Calgary in July. \ Another thing you learn when you live in Calgary is to not pack your clothes for other seasons away too deeply (just like the snow shovels don’t get put away until late May). 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/summer-snow-in-calgary/618112.md?page=2)