How cold can the winters be in Toronto? (school, vs.)

[Robynator]

Somebody coming from SE Washington state will find Toronto winters comparable to where they're from. The only major difference is that SE Washington's inland on the rainshadow side of the mountains, so it's very dry and arid. Toronto's on the north side of the Great Lakes, so there's a lot more moisture and humidity.

Using Spokane as an example for comparison...

Spokane's average high in December is 33 F (1 C) and its average low is 22 F (-6 C).
Toronto's average high in December is 35 F (1.8 C) and its average low is 25 F (-4 C).

Spokane's average high in January is 31 F (1 C) and its average low is 20 F (-7 C).
Toronto's average high in January is 30 F (1.1 C) and its average low is 19 F (-7.3 C).

Spokane's average high in February is 39 F (4 C) and its average low is 26 F (-3 C).
Toronto's average high in February is 32 F (0.3 C) and its average low is 21 F (-6.3 C)

[NicolaRushin]

I lived in Toronto for five years. One day in January, my brother went outside onto the patio to eat a lollipop. He took his glove off to get the lollipop out of it's package. Mom saw him and immediately told him to put his glove back on. His hand was only exposed for about ten seconds. He got serious frostbite on all his fingers and Mom said he screamed in agony all night. Mom felt really, really bad. We are South African, so she had no idea that the cold in Toronto could be so dangerous!

[TOkidd]

I think a lot of people are overstating the severity of the cold in Toronto during the winter. Nine of the last ten years are the warmest on record, and even though it has snowed a few times this year, only twice was the snow powdery - every other time it has been watery slush because the temp was barely freezing. There's been more rain than snow this winter. I've only had to wear my heavy coat about half the time between January and now, and only needed gloves and a toque a couple times.

You'll be fine unless you're coming from South Africa. Then you might be susceptible to instantaneous frost bite, where mere seconds exposed to the cold can cause a night of tears.

[theunbrainwashed]

Not as cold as people think it is. I used to live near upstate New York and the winters were bearable

[botticelli]

Originally Posted by NicolaRushin

I lived in Toronto for five years. One day in January, my brother went outside onto the patio to eat a lollipop. He took his glove off to get the lollipop out of it's package. Mom saw him and immediately told him to put his glove back on. His hand was only exposed for about ten seconds. He got serious frostbite on all his fingers and Mom said he screamed in agony all night. Mom felt really, really bad. We are South African, so she had no idea that the cold in Toronto could be so dangerous!

seriously?
I kind of doubt it. Toronto is cold in Jan, but not that cold as you described. What you said is more like Regina or Winnipeg.

[AlsoNotMe]

No kidding nicolarushin... if it were that cold, the city could close down all the homeless shelters it operates (sad to say). January isn't even the coldest month usually... I find Feb/March to be the coldest for some reason.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by TOkidd

I think a lot of people are overstating the severity of the cold in Toronto during the winter. Nine of the last ten years are the warmest on record, and even though it has snowed a few times this year, only twice was the snow powdery - every other time it has been watery slush because the temp was barely freezing. There's been more rain than snow this winter. I've only had to wear my heavy coat about half the time between January and now, and only needed gloves and a toque a couple times.

You'll be fine unless you're coming from South Africa. Then you might be susceptible to instantaneous frost bite, where mere seconds exposed to the cold can cause a night of tears.

I don't think there is any relationship between where a person is from and getting frostbite. People of Scandinavian origin can get frostbite and some people from India can be fine.

There is a difference in comfort levels with the cold depending on where people are from, but this is not significant as people might think.

Born and bred Canadians would also feel really cold if the temperature dropped to 0C (or even 5C) in mid-summer.

And Africans who have spent December, January and February in Canada will find that 12C feels ''warm'' in March when things start to warm up.

[TOkidd]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't think there is any relationship between where a person is from and getting frostbite. People of Scandinavian origin can get frostbite and some people from India can be fine.

There is a difference in comfort levels with the cold depending on where people are from, but this is not significant as people might think.

Born and bred Canadians would also feel really cold if the temperature dropped to 0C (or even 5C) in mid-summer.

And Africans who have spent December, January and February in Canada will find that 12C feels ''warm'' in March when things start to warm up.

I was referring to the post by NicolaRushin who said her brother got frostbite in 10 seconds in Toronto. She said she was from South Africa. I was just making a stupid joke

[Trimac20]

The average January mean is about -6C, ranging from about -10 to -2C. So somewhat colder than Chicago, somewhere like Buffalo, NY, Milwaukee, New Hampshire, that kind of cold.

[Tom9]

I think that it is often colder in cities on the US side like Cleveland or Rochester from the wind blowing across those lakes and the lake effect snowfall probably makes cities on the US side snowier.