Climate

Because Canada’s vast territory stretches from the Frigid Zone in the north to the North Temperate Zone，the climate is marked by great regional variations.The country can be roughly divided into six climatic regions，almost parallel to the physiographic divisions.

The Arctic Region has the coldest weather in Canada.Here the summer is short，while the winter is severe and can be as long as 8 to 10 months.Yellowknife，the coldest city in Canada，is located in this region.The annual mean temperature in this region is only－6℃.The Northern Region comprises the northern part of the Prairie Provinces and the northern part of Ontario，Quebec，and the Maritime Provinces.The climate here is generally cold，with short summers and up to 6 months of winter.The Prairie Region consists of the main grain⁃producing areas of the Prairie Provinces，where the climate is continental，with distinct seasonal changes.The temperature can get very low in winter，but very high in summer.In Saskatchewan，for instance，summer temperatures can reach 45℃.This region is also the driest，with most of the rainfall occurring in summer.The Cordillera Region comprises mainly the Rocky Mountain area，where the weather is snowy and windy much of the time.The Pacific Region includes the coastal areas and the offshore islands of British Columbia.Vancouver，capital of the province and the warmest city of Canada，is located in this region.The annual temperature here averages 10℃and the weather is relatively pleasant all year round.The Southeastern Region includes southeastern Ontario and southern Quebec，Nova Scotia，Southeastern Newfoundland，New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.This region is the most populous in Canada as it has ample rainfall and a relatively mild climate with the winter being not so harsh and summer not so hot.