Edmonton is the capital city of Alberta, a vast province in
Canada. It is one of the largest and most populated cities in Canada. Edmontonians pride in their beautiful and modern city complete with sunning skyscrapers blended with several ancient buildings.
Over time, Edmonton has grown to be the central cultural, historical, educational, and governmental hub of its region. Today, it is famous for having the largest mall in North America - the West Edmonton Mall, and the most prominent living history museum - the Fort Edmonton Park.
Outdoor activities in Edmonton happen around the North Saskatchewan River, which divides the city in two. There are numerous fun parks, neatly manicured golf courses, scenic botanical gardens, meandering hiking trails, and several launches for activities like kayaking and canoeing.
The other side of the river has a lively style that is complete with massive shopping malls, high-end boutiques, numerous restaurants and eating joints, and many bars and discotheques for a memorable, vibrant nightlife.
Some of the attractive spots in downtown Edmonton include the stunning modern skyscrapers, the uniquely-designed Rogers Place, the contemporary Muttart conservatory in the river valley, and the scenic High Level Bridge from where the city can be viewed easily.
The climate of Edmonton is a humid continental one, and it is classified as Dfb under the Köppen climate classification. The climate is defined by extremely cold and dry winters, variable springs and autumns, and highly humid and warm summers.
Edmonton is moderately dry throughout the year. Most of its rainfall is received during summer, albeit not in very high amount.
July is the rainiest month of the year, garnering approximately 93.8mm (3.7") in precipitation collected from fifteen days of rainfall. The daily average temperature during summer reads highs of 23.3°C (73.9°F) and lows of 12.5°C (54.5°F).
Winter extends from mid-
November through
March, but it tends to vary significantly in the intensity of the cold and the length of the season. Generally, there are approximately one and a half rainy days and an average of 15.3mm (0.6") in precipitation. Snowfall is common, and winter has up to nine days of snow, collecting as high as 24.4cm of snow in the snowiest month -
January. Snowfall begins as early as the last few days of
September and extends through mid-
May. The daily winter temperature averages highs of -4.6°C (23.7°F) and lows of -13.3°C (8.1°F), but it might feel even colder than that because of the icy wind chills dominant during the season.
Both spring and autumn are short and moderately tolerable as they experience low-temperature ranges as well as mild snowfall.
The peak of the travel period to Edmonton is during summer, between May and
August. This period has the best weather for outdoor activities and makes the best time to venture out to tour the city. During this season, Edmonton also has numerous festivities and cultural events to be attended.
In
June, Edmonton holds its annual International Jazz Festival complete with beautiful jazz music to reward and appreciate the industry. The festival attracts crowds from far and near and is crowned with fascinating presentations and colorful decorations. Additional notable events are the famous Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival held in August to celebrate the milestones of the theatre and film industry, and the ever-attractive Edmonton Folk Music Festival held in August.