Geography of Halifax, Nova Scotia
The
Physical geography
Halifax Regional Municipality has an area of approximately 5,490.35 km2 (2,119.84 sq mi),[1] and is approximately 165 km (103 mi) in length between its eastern and westernmost extremities. HRM's shoreline "as the crow flies" is approximately 150 km (93 mi) in length, while its northern boundary is usually between 50 and 60 km inland. The coast, which is mostly rock with small isolated sand beaches in sheltered bays, is heavily indented by numerous inlets the largest of which are St. Margarets Bay, Halifax Harbour, Cole Harbour, Musquodoboit Harbour, Jeddore Harbour, Ship Harbour and Sheet Harbour. Given this fact, it takes approximately 3 hours to drive along the shore from Hubbards, located in the southwestern end of HRM, to Ecum Secum, 195 km (121 mi) away at the northeastern end.
The Chebucto Peninsula, created by the indentations of St. Margarets Bay and Halifax Harbour (including the Bedford Basin), is a defining feature for the shape of the coastline at the western end of HRM, from which the Halifax Peninsula forms a sub-peninsula.
Despite the size of its landmass, the population of the municipality is heavily concentrated, with rural communities located along the
The topography of HRM is quite varied, ranging from rocky shorelines to sandy beaches on the coast, to landscapes shaped by
HRM's population centre (
Climate
Halifax | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Halifax is marked by a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb), but the area climate is heavily influenced by water temperatures in the adjacent Atlantic Ocean. Numerous local microclimates make weather somewhat unpredictable but the region is generally milder than inland areas having a continental climate (e.g. central Canada); HRM air temperatures average between -5 °C (23 °F) in January and 19 °C (66 °F) in July.
Snow falls and melts alternately mainly from November through April, for a seasonal total of 152 centimetres (60 in).[3] Some, but usually very little, snow falls in May and October.[3] Halifax usually experiences several strong winter storms. In February 2004 a record of 95 centimetres (37 in) of snow fell in one such storm. The storm was nicknamed "White Juan", after the recent Hurricane Juan. Spring is cool and foggy, early autumn is often sunny and warm, and summer can range from hot and dry to cool and rainy. Hurricanes are fairly uncommon but do occur occasionally. There can be considerable variations between the weather near the Atlantic Ocean and the weather even several kilometres inland. This is partly caused by the effect of the Labrador Current, which transfers cold water from the Arctic along Nova Scotia's Atlantic coast in the spring and summer, while the Gulf Stream brings warmer water from the Gulf of Mexico along the coast during the fall and winter.
Precipitation stands at nearly 1,510 millimetres (59.4 in) annually, and is somewhat heavy year-round, though summer is drier.
The Halifax Regional Municipality is home to 6 weather stations operated by the Meteorological Service of Canada:
- Halifax International Airport
- Buoy 44258 Halifax Harbour[4]
- CFB Shearwater
- McNabs Island
- Sable Island
- Beaver Island
- Malay Falls
Climate data for Halifax (Citadel Hill) Climate ID: 8202220; coordinates 44°39′N 63°35′W / 44.650°N 63.583°W; elevation: 70.1 m (230 ft); 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1863–present[a] | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 14.0 (57.2) |
16.0 (60.8) |
28.2 (82.8) |
28.3 (82.9) |
33.3 (91.9) |
34.4 (93.9) |
37.2 (99.0) |
34.4 (93.9) |
34.6 (94.3) |
31.1 (88.0) |
23.3 (73.9) |
16.7 (62.1) |
37.2 (99.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) |
0.4 (32.7) |
3.6 (38.5) |
8.7 (47.7) |
14.4 (57.9) |
19.6 (67.3) |
23.1 (73.6) |
23.1 (73.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
13.4 (56.1) |
8.1 (46.6) |
2.8 (37.0) |
11.4 (52.5) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.1 (24.6) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
4.9 (40.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
15.2 (59.4) |
18.8 (65.8) |
19.1 (66.4) |
15.5 (59.9) |
9.9 (49.8) |
4.8 (40.6) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
7.5 (45.5) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −8.2 (17.2) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
1.0 (33.8) |
5.8 (42.4) |
10.7 (51.3) |
14.4 (57.9) |
15.1 (59.2) |
11.8 (53.2) |
6.4 (43.5) |
1.5 (34.7) |
−4.3 (24.3) |
3.6 (38.5) |
Record low °C (°F) | −27.2 (−17.0) |
−29.4 (−20.9) |
−23.3 (−9.9) |
−13.9 (7.0) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
0.0 (32.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
3.9 (39.0) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−25.6 (−14.1) |
−29.4 (−20.9) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 139.7 (5.50) |
110.1 (4.33) |
132.5 (5.22) |
118.3 (4.66) |
119.1 (4.69) |
111.8 (4.40) |
110.3 (4.34) |
96.4 (3.80) |
108.9 (4.29) |
124.3 (4.89) |
151.4 (5.96) |
145.1 (5.71) |
1,468.1 (57.80) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 96.7 (3.81) |
75.1 (2.96) |
101.3 (3.99) |
111.3 (4.38) |
118.4 (4.66) |
111.8 (4.40) |
110.3 (4.34) |
96.4 (3.80) |
108.9 (4.29) |
124.1 (4.89) |
143.6 (5.65) |
115.9 (4.56) |
1,313.9 (51.73) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 43.1 (17.0) |
35.0 (13.8) |
31.2 (12.3) |
7.0 (2.8) |
0.8 (0.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.0) |
7.8 (3.1) |
29.2 (11.5) |
154.2 (60.7) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 13.8 | 11.6 | 13.1 | 15.2 | 15.8 | 13.6 | 12.1 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 14.1 | 15.3 | 14.5 | 161.8 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 8.5 | 6.5 | 10.2 | 14.1 | 15.7 | 13.6 | 12.1 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 14.1 | 14.5 | 10.8 | 142.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 6.8 | 6.1 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 5.2 | 25.3 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 109.5 | 127.2 | 142.8 | 156.6 | 193.3 | 220.7 | 235.2 | 226.6 | 180.5 | 157.8 | 107.4 | 105.2 | 1,962.5 |
Percent possible sunshine | 38.2 | 43.3 | 38.7 | 38.8 | 42.1 | 47.5 | 49.9 | 52.1 | 47.9 | 46.2 | 37.2 | 38.2 | 43.3 |
Average ultraviolet index | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Source 1: Environment and Climate Change Canada (Sunshine data recorded at CFB Shearwater)[3][5][6][7][8][9][10] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Nova Scotian Institute of Science[11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and Weather Atlas[19] |
Climate data for Halifax (Halifax Stanfield International Airport) WMO ID: 71395; coordinates 44°52′48″N 63°30′00″W / 44.88000°N 63.50000°W; elevation: 145.4 m (477 ft); 1981−2010 normals, extremes 1953−present | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high humidex | 18.4 | 18.3 | 27.7 | 32.1 | 36.0 | 40.2 | 42.4 | 41.9 | 42.1 | 31.9 | 25.4 | 20.4 | 42.4 |
Record high °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) |
17.5 (63.5) |
27.2 (81.0) |
29.5 (85.1) |
32.8 (91.0) |
33.4 (92.1) |
33.9 (93.0) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.2 (93.6) |
25.8 (78.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
16.3 (61.3) |
35.0 (95.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.3 (29.7) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
3.1 (37.6) |
9.1 (48.4) |
15.3 (59.5) |
20.4 (68.7) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.6 (74.5) |
19.4 (66.9) |
13.1 (55.6) |
7.3 (45.1) |
1.7 (35.1) |
11.3 (52.3) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −5.9 (21.4) |
−5.2 (22.6) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
4.4 (39.9) |
10.0 (50.0) |
15.1 (59.2) |
18.8 (65.8) |
18.7 (65.7) |
14.6 (58.3) |
8.7 (47.7) |
3.5 (38.3) |
−2.4 (27.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −10.4 (13.3) |
−9.7 (14.5) |
−5.7 (21.7) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
4.6 (40.3) |
9.7 (49.5) |
13.7 (56.7) |
13.7 (56.7) |
9.7 (49.5) |
4.2 (39.6) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
−6.4 (20.5) |
1.9 (35.4) |
Record low °C (°F) | −28.5 (−19.3) |
−27.3 (−17.1) |
−22.4 (−8.3) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
0.6 (33.1) |
6.1 (43.0) |
4.4 (39.9) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−13.1 (8.4) |
−23.3 (−9.9) |
−28.5 (−19.3) |
Record low wind chill | −40.4 | −41.1 | −33.9 | −24.4 | −10.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | −3.0 | −10.1 | −23.9 | −35.6 | −41.1 |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 134.3 (5.29) |
105.8 (4.17) |
120.1 (4.73) |
114.5 (4.51) |
111.9 (4.41) |
96.2 (3.79) |
95.5 (3.76) |
93.5 (3.68) |
102.0 (4.02) |
124.9 (4.92) |
154.2 (6.07) |
143.3 (5.64) |
1,396.2 (54.97) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 83.5 (3.29) |
65.0 (2.56) |
86.9 (3.42) |
98.2 (3.87) |
109.8 (4.32) |
96.2 (3.79) |
95.5 (3.76) |
93.5 (3.68) |
102.0 (4.02) |
124.6 (4.91) |
139.1 (5.48) |
101.8 (4.01) |
1,196.1 (47.09) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 58 (23) |
45 (18) |
37 (15) |
16 (6.3) |
2 (0.8) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
17 (6.7) |
45 (18) |
221 (87) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.7 | 15.2 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.7 | 12.9 | 11.3 | 11.0 | 10.2 | 12.1 | 15.1 | 17.4 | 167.4 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 8.0 | 6.1 | 8.6 | 12.1 | 13.5 | 12.9 | 11.3 | 11.0 | 10.2 | 12.1 | 12.8 | 9.8 | 128.4 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 14.6 | 12.0 | 9.6 | 5.2 | 0.61 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.14 | 3.9 | 11.7 | 57.7 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
73.0 | 67.4 | 64.5 | 62.9 | 61.9 | 62.6 | 63.0 | 62.9 | 64.4 | 66.9 | 73.2 | 75.5 | 66.5 |
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada[20] |
Notes
- ^ Based on station coordinates provided by Environment Canada and documentation from the Nova Scotian Institute of Science, weather data was collected in West End, Halifax from January 1863 to July 1933, at Citadel Hill from August 1933 to August 1939, at Downtown Halifax from September 1939 to July 1974, at Citadel Hill from August 1974 to January 2002 and at CFB Halifax (Windsor Park and Halifax Dockyard) from September 2004 to present.
References
- ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census". Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census". Statistics Canada. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
- ^ Station 44258 - Halifax Harbour
- ^ "Shearwater A, Nova Scotia". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
- ^ "Monthly Data Report for 1871". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. September 22, 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ^ "Daily Data Report for October 1930". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. September 22, 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
- ^ "Monthly Data Report for 1939". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. September 22, 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ^ "Daily Data Report for April 1945". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. September 22, 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
- ^ "Halifax Dockyard". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. September 22, 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
- ^ "Abstract of Meteorological register, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1863" (PDF). Myers, W. J. (1867). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1867. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Meteorological register, 1864" (PDF). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1867. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Abstract of Meteorological register, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1865" (PDF). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1867. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Abstract of Meteorological register, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1866" (PDF). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1867. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Meteorological record, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1867" (PDF). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1868. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Meteorological summary, 1868" (PDF). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1869. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "On the meteorology of Halifax, 1870" (PDF). Allison, F. (1871). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1871. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "On the meteorology of Halifax, 1871" (PDF). Allison, F. (1872). Nova Scotian Institute of Science. 1872. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Halifax, Canada - Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast". Weather Atlas. Yu Media Group. Retrieved 2019-07-06.
- ^ "Halifax Stanfield INT'L A, Nova Scotia". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Archived from the original on May 9, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.