September 14th, 2004

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Canada
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The Sunniest City in Canada

Former Pawn was writing about Terry Gilliam kvetching about the bleakness of Saskatchewan. Gilliam is shooting his new film there, and given his oeuvre, you’d think that dank and depressing would be just his thing. Regardless, Ms. Pawn defended Saskatchewan as “the sunniest spot in Canada”. I had always thought that Calgary claimed that title. Google, aidez-moi.

I started with a search on sunniest city in Canada. Interestingly, the municipal websites for Lethbridge and Saskatoon were returned as the first two results. More searching led me to a definitive source: Environment Canada. They have a fun section called Weather Winners, which describes the weather superlatives for Canadian cities for a bunch of categories. Here are a few highlights:

Hottest summer – Kamloops BC, 26.90 C
Coldest winter – Yellowknife NT, -28.90 C
Most freezing days – Thompson MB, 240 days (!)
Fewest freezing days – Vancouver BC, 46 days (God bless the wet coast)
Sunniest year-round – Medicine Hat AB, 2512.90 hours
Least sunshine year-round – Prince Rupert BC, 1229.10 hours
Most sunny days year-round – Calgary AB, 333 days
Fewest sunny days year-round – Prince Rupert BC, 250 days

I don’t know where Saskatoon and Regina rank among sunniest cities, but the title apparently goes to Calgary or Medicine Hat.

Comments: 19 Responses so far

alexis
September 14th, 2004
12:55 pm

Thanks Darren. I’m glad my post inspired a post

a

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Five Live Links
September 14th, 2004
1:51 pm

The Sunniest City in Canada ain’t Vancouver

But V. does claim title to fewest days below freeing, so who’s laughing now, really?…

Anonymous
September 14th, 2004
3:00 pm

Lethbridge was ranked 7th (Most sunny days year-round) and 11th (Sunniest year-round)

Regina is 8th on both lists

Saskatoon is 10th on both lists

http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/weather/winners/city.cfm?lang=e&SelectedCity=

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Jeff
September 14th, 2004
10:14 pm

This year Saskatoon has had exactly 32.5 minutes of sunshine, and 9.5 months of rain.

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The travels of Justin & Tina
September 15th, 2004
10:18 am

The Hottest Summer in Canada Award goes to Kamloops

I still don’t know what a Kamloops winter will be like, but thanks to Darren Barefoot, I’ve discovered that my new hometown boasts the hottest summers in all of Canada.

Arjun Singh
September 15th, 2004
11:35 pm

go Kamloops go!!

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Simon Fodden
September 16th, 2004
12:18 pm

In your quote you have Ms Pawn defending Saskatchewan — not Saskatoon. Maybe Sask would rank higher in the sunny province sweepstakes?

Don’t know where Gilliam is shooting, but Saskatoon was definitely crapo this summer.

Cheers,

Simon

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fred
September 5th, 2007
3:20 pm

where is the sunniest spot in canada that starts with an e!!!!!!!

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joe
December 28th, 2007
4:48 pm

well what this dosnt show is how long these cities stay hot… (windsor ont, regina sask, winnipeg mb)

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joe
December 28th, 2007
4:48 pm

and portage la prarie ranks 1st for most sunny days in warm months

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joe
December 28th, 2007
4:49 pm

as well Carman mb took the record for hottest humidity temperature in canada with 50.3 C

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joe
December 28th, 2007
4:50 pm

Carman mb took the record for hottest humidity temperature in canada with 50.3 C

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Kate
February 5th, 2008
6:48 pm

I claim Vancouver has the all-around WORST weather in Canada. I grew up in a warm climate country and since I moved here, I have only tolerated this dreary weather. I would never live here by choice and I always wonder why so many people move here and buy ridiculously overpriced condos here, only to enjoy maybe 80 sunny days out of the year. Can tell I have seasonal affective disorder!

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len Reply:
November 13th, 2008 at 7:21 am

I lived in Vancouver for a few months by choice and moved because of the cold damp and depressing weather. 40 below does not chill to the bone like that ugly damp.

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jenny
April 4th, 2009
7:17 pm

I agree with kate: I grew up in Vancouver and have lived here for over 25 years, and gosh I don’t know how I managed…the weather sucks here, long depressing winters, short quick summers.
Over priced condos, houses to live in a cold not so many sunny days

Time for me to move out of here. I took this neat quiz “findyourspot.com”
I’m looking for a new relocation spot!

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TAMARA
February 12th, 2010
4:59 am

I don’t care what the stats say, Calgary IS NOT the sunniest city, that is a farce! Maybe 20 years ago but the weather patterns have changed and we have so many cloudy days, and cold that it is horrible. Don’t let the stats fool you!

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Anonymous Reply:
July 7th, 2010 at 1:04 pm

Calgary might be cold, that’s absolutely true, but the thing is, Calgary can be bright and Sunny even when it’s 40 below. The brightest sunniest days of the year are the days where there’s not a cloud in the sky, the ground is covered in snow, and the sun is reflecting off of it all, blinding you when you walk out your door. It’s not a WARM city at all, but it’s certainly sunny. I’m not surprised by Calgary’s ranking.

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SAD in Calgary Reply:
September 22nd, 2010 at 10:46 am

This has been my “worst” year ever in Calgary! I can not remember the last time we had a sunny day. I find it very depressing when it “snows” in the Summer, are summers are far to short to be able to tolerate this extreme summer weather. I have lived in Calgary on and off for almost 20 years and have never, ever been able to tolerate the extremes here. Kelowna is the place to live, was there for 8 years and never wanted to move back to Calgary. Unfortunately, I had no choice but to move back here, have regretted it ever since : (

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Jim
September 24th, 2011
5:04 pm

Trying to find the “best” weather in Canada is like trying to find out which state in Australia has the fewest poisonous creatures. It all sucks, face it. Which is why they get out for 3-6 months per year when they can, and go to Mexico or Costa Rica.

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