Sometimes it seems like a Calgary winter will never end and some years, we get a little taste of winter every month. Spring is just around the corner and we’re enjoying the occasional day that’s just mild enough to lull us into a false sense of security. Don’t get complacent though, because old man winter could still have a few surprises up his sleeves.
It might not seem like it sometimes, but Calgary normally doesn’t get a lot of snow during the winter. During an average year 129 cm or 50.7 inches of fresh snow falls. That snow is spread out over several months between September and May. It’s not unheard of for measurable snow to fall in Calgary during each and every one of the 12 months of the year.
When it snows in Calgary, less than 5 cm usually falls. A snowfall of more than 5 cm only happens seven times a year on average. There’s usually a big snowstorm that dumps more than 10 cm of fresh snow twice a year. Major blizzards that blanket the city with 25 cm of snow or more only happen once a decade. In mid-winter the snow pack in and around Calgary averages 3 cm. It doesn’t seem like a lot – yet it can cause a lot of grief. Often it seems like there’s a lot more snow than there actually is because the wind blows it into drifts.
Believe it or not, March is usually the snowiest month in Calgary. We can expect 22 cm, or almost 9 inches of snow to fall.
During late winter and early spring, it’s particularly important to keep ice under control. Warm daytime temperatures can melt snow and ice which refreezes during cold Calgary nights, making for treacherous conditions in the morning. Keep de-icer and snow shovels handy to tackle March snow and ice.