What Is The Climate Like In Whitehorse?
According to the Koppen Climate Classification, Whitehorse is a Dfc climate. This means it is a continental climate with no dry season and a cold summer.
A continental climate (D) is one where there is at least one month with an average total temperature of 10 °C (50°F) or higher, and at least one month where there is an average temperature of below freezing. There are certain traits that are most common in a continental climate, but not exclusive to it. These include an increase in severe storms, like thunderstorms and tornadoes (although tornadoes are unusual this far north). They also have clear distinctions between the four seasons, and are likely to have leaves change colour in the fall. There are four other types of climates that the first letter can refer to. These are tropical climates (A), dry climates (B), temperate climates (C), and polar climates (F). Tropical climates are ones where there is never a month with a temperature below 18 °C (64°F). Dry climates simply fail to reach a certain level of precipitation per month. Temperate climates are similar to continental ones in that they have at least one month with an average temperature of above 10 °C (50°F). However, its coldest month will have an average temperature between 18 °C (64°F) and freezing. Like a continental climate, it has varied seasons and more extreme storms. A polar climate is one where there is no month with an average temperature of above 10 °C (50°F).
The (f) refers to there not being any dry season. If the summer (April – September) had significantly more precipitation than winter (October – March), it would be considered a dry winter (w). If the inverse were true, it would be considered a dry summer (s). Since these two seasons have somewhat similar amounts of precipitation, it is considered to have no dry season (f).
The (c) refers to having a cold summer, with only 1-3 months that have an average temperature of above 10 °C (50°F). The others are hot summer (a), warm summer (b), and very cold winter (d), which all have differing requirements.
What Is Everyday Weather Like In Whitehorse?
Whitehorse is, as one would expect, one of the coldest cities in Canada. Its summers are similar to the springs that most of the largest cities in Canada experience. Its spring and fall have points with and without snow, and its winters can be very brutal, although, due to the fact that it’s one of the driest cities in Canada, it has less snow than you probably expect.
What Is Spring Like In Whitehorse?
Spring in Whitehorse starts off very cold compared to the rest of the country. In March, highs will generally be in the negatives, averaging out to -5 °C (23°F). Lows are of course even lower, hanging out at -15 C (5 F). These numbers rise quickly throughout March, April and May; however, by May, these numbers range much higher, with highs averaging 10 °C (50°F) and lows at around freezing. Snow, however, doesn’t get as high as most people are likely to think, as all three months average less than 5 days of precipitation each.
What Is Summer Like In Whitehorse?
June, July, and August are all very similar to each other during the summer. Similar to Yellowknife, highs will be about 15 °C (59°F). However, lows will be even lower, generally averaging around 5 °C (41°F). Each of these months will have slightly more rain, coming in with 5-10 days of precipitation per month. While this might seem quite cold, it is still warm enough that snow is usually able to melt away, if it hasn’t already in late spring.
What Is Fall Like In Whitehorse?
Like most other places with a continental climate, Whitehorse has leaves that change colour in the fall. Unfortunately, the weather here drops as quickly as it rose in spring. Highs in September will average around 10 °C (50°F), with lows averaging around freezing. They will drop for the entire month, and for October, with November’s highs generally around -5 C (23 F) and lows around -10 C (14 F). There will also be an average of 5-10 days of precipitation per month.
What Is Winter Like In Whitehorse?
Winter in Whitehorse is pretty cold compared to the rest of the country, but likely not as cold as you might think, given the earlier parts of the article. While each month might be off by a degree or two, highs average around -10 C (14 F) and lows at around -15 C (5 F). There will be an average of about 5 days of precipitation per month on average as well.
Is Whitehorse For Me?
The territories are always a bit of a tough sell, but if you prefer to avoid precipitation and heat, then yes, Whitehorse can very much be for you.
