When visiting Calgary, be prepared by bringing along clothes to add layers when necessary. You may need a coat, even in the summertime, because the mountain air gets quite chilly in the evenings after the sun goes down.
In contrast, be ready to wear short sleeves in January if the Chinook winds come your way while you’re there. Calgary’s weather is greatly influenced by the city’s close proximity to the Rocky Mountains (just 60 minutes away!); it has cool winters (though mild by Canadian standards) and short, warm summers.
The city is also one of the sunniest in Canada, with 2,405 hours of annual sunshine, on average. Although Calgary's winters can be uncomfortably cold: warm, dry Chinook winds routinely blow into the city from the Pacific Ocean during the winter months, giving Calgarians a break from the cold.
As a consequence of Calgary's high elevation, summer evenings can be very cool, the average summer minimum temperature is 46°F, and frosts can occur in any month of the year. Calgary has experienced snowfall even in July and August! Unlike cities further east, like Toronto or Montreal, humidity is almost never a factor during the Calgary summer. |
