Geography of Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is located on the western end of the Niagara Peninsula and wraps around the westernmost part of the Lake Ontario. Most of the city including the downtown section lies along the south shore. Situated in the geographic centre of the Golden Horseshoe, it lies roughly midway between Toronto and Buffalo. The two major physical features are Hamilton Harbour marking the northern limit of the city and the Niagara Escarpment running through the middle of the city across its entire breadth, bisecting the city into 'upper' and 'lower' parts.[1]
According to records from local
Between 1788 and 1793, the townships at the Head-of-the-Lake were surveyed and named. The area was first known as The Head-of-the-Lake for its location at the western end of Lake Ontario. John Ryckman, born in Barton township (where present day downtown Hamilton is), described the area in 1803 as he remembered it: "The city in 1803 was all forest. The shores of the bay were difficult to reach or see because they were hidden by a thick, almost impenetrable mass of trees and undergrowth...Bears ate pigs, so settlers warred on bears. Wolves gobbled sheep and geese, so they hunted and trapped wolves. They also held organized raids on rattlesnakes on the mountainside. There was plenty of game. Many a time have I seen a deer jump the fence into my back yard, and there were millions of pigeons which we clubbed as they flew low."[6]
The Hamilton Conservation Authority owns, leases or manages about 4,500 hectares (11,100 acres) of land with the City operating 1,077 hectares (2,661 acres) of parkland at 310 locations.[9][10] Many of the parks are located along the Niagara Escarpment, which runs from Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula in the north, to Queenston at the Niagara River in the south, and provides views of the cities and towns at the western end of Lake Ontario. The hiking path Bruce Trail runs the length of the escarpment.[11] Hamilton is home to more than 100 waterfalls and cascades, most of which are on or near the Bruce Trail as it winds through the Niagara Escarpment.[12]
Bay/Harbour
Hamilton Harbour Fast Facts:[15]
- Mean depth: 13 metres
- Maximum depth: 25 metres
- Watershed area: 500 square kilometres
- Shorelinelength: 45 kilometres
- Volume of water: 2.8 x 10 to 8th cubic feet (7.9 million m³) of water
- Reduction in surface area from 1926 to 1982: 22%
- Navigational season is from April through to mid December
City and suburbs
Downtown began and remains around Gore Park and the intersection of
As city limits expanded to include the
The former boroughs of Hamilton-Wentworth Region, are:
Hamilton, like many cities, is broken up into several areas, well known to the local residents. Some 'sections' of the city include:
Escarpment and glacial geomorphology
The
During the
The shale layer underlying the limestone in the Escarpment allows for its perpendicularity; the soft shale wears away more rapidly than limestone and thus the top layer always stays out farther than the part below.[2]
The Dundas Valley is a glacial re-entrant valley, formed by several advances and retreats of an ice lobe. A thick layer of glacial and post-glacial deposits is found on the valley floor. Glacial geomorphological features such as kame moraines and kettles are present.[17]
During the last glacial retreat, a large lake called Lake Iroquois was in the approximate location of Lake Ontario. It was likely formed as a result of ice damming in the St. Lawrence River. The lake laid down glaciolacustrine sediments such as sand and clay in the lower city and created the beach bar between Cootes Paradise and Hamilton Harbour.[2]
In 1857, when the
Soil in Hamilton is predominately derived from glacial drift (glaciolacustrine sediments in the lower city; glacial tills in the upper city) and from limestone and shale erosion.[2]
Parks
Acting on provisions of the Public Parks Act of 1883, the voters of Hamilton, on 8 January 1900, endorsed a by-law establishing the Board of Parks Management, an independent body whose members were appointed for three-year terms. The need for the new organization was obvious as when it began there were only three formal
The City's Parks Board drew up plans in 1927 for the construction of a full-scale
Climate
Climate data for Hamilton, Ontario (Royal Botanical Gardens) Climate ID: 6153300; coordinates 43°17′N 79°53′W / 43.283°N 79.883°W; elevation: 102.10 m (335.0 ft); 1981−2010 normals, extremes 1866−present[a] | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) |
18.8 (65.8) |
27.2 (81.0) |
31.1 (88.0) |
36.1 (97.0) |
38.9 (102.0) |
41.1 (106.0) |
38.9 (102.0) |
37.8 (100.0) |
32.2 (90.0) |
26.1 (79.0) |
21.2 (70.2) |
41.1 (106.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.9 (30.4) |
0.1 (32.2) |
4.8 (40.6) |
11.7 (53.1) |
18.6 (65.5) |
24.3 (75.7) |
27.3 (81.1) |
25.9 (78.6) |
21.1 (70.0) |
14.6 (58.3) |
7.7 (45.9) |
2.0 (35.6) |
13.1 (55.6) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.7 (23.5) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
0.5 (32.9) |
7.1 (44.8) |
13.3 (55.9) |
18.9 (66.0) |
22.0 (71.6) |
20.9 (69.6) |
16.3 (61.3) |
10.0 (50.0) |
4.1 (39.4) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −8.5 (16.7) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
2.4 (36.3) |
7.9 (46.2) |
13.4 (56.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
15.8 (60.4) |
11.4 (52.5) |
5.4 (41.7) |
0.4 (32.7) |
−4.7 (23.5) |
4.0 (39.2) |
Record low °C (°F) | −30.6 (−23.1) |
−29.4 (−20.9) |
−28.3 (−18.9) |
−14.4 (6.1) |
−7.2 (19.0) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
5.0 (41.0) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
−22.8 (−9.0) |
−27.8 (−18.0) |
−30.6 (−23.1) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 56.8 (2.24) |
57.2 (2.25) |
63.7 (2.51) |
73.3 (2.89) |
85.5 (3.37) |
72.7 (2.86) |
82.7 (3.26) |
89.7 (3.53) |
80.9 (3.19) |
71.6 (2.82) |
91.3 (3.59) |
71.9 (2.83) |
897.1 (35.32) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 27.4 (1.08) |
26.4 (1.04) |
43.3 (1.70) |
70.1 (2.76) |
85.5 (3.37) |
72.7 (2.86) |
82.7 (3.26) |
89.7 (3.53) |
80.9 (3.19) |
71.6 (2.82) |
83.2 (3.28) |
46.8 (1.84) |
780.0 (30.71) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 32.4 (12.8) |
31.1 (12.2) |
18.3 (7.2) |
2.8 (1.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
7.5 (3.0) |
26.0 (10.2) |
118.1 (46.5) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 14.7 | 12.1 | 12.3 | 13.5 | 12.2 | 10.5 | 10.7 | 11.1 | 12.3 | 11.8 | 14.3 | 13.8 | 149.1 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.7 | 5.0 | 8.8 | 12.6 | 12.2 | 10.5 | 10.7 | 11.1 | 12.3 | 11.8 | 12.8 | 7.6 | 120.9 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 10.5 | 8.6 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.6 | 8.4 | 36.2 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 87.2 | 113.4 | 152.4 | 182.2 | 244.0 | 279.1 | 303.5 | 262.6 | 177.7 | 148.6 | 88.9 | 71.0 | 2,110.6 |
Percent possible sunshine | 30.0 | 38.3 | 41.3 | 45.4 | 53.7 | 60.7 | 65.1 | 60.7 | 47.3 | 43.4 | 30.4 | 25.3 | 45.1 |
Average ultraviolet index | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
Source 1: Environment and Climate Change Canada[19][20][21][22] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weather Atlas [23] |
Climate data for Hamilton (John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport) WMO ID: 71263; coordinates: 43°10′18″N 79°56′03″W / 43.17167°N 79.93417°W; elevation: 237.7 m (780 ft); 1981−2010 normals | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high humidex | 17.6 | 16.5 | 27.7 | 33.4 | 40.5 | 43.7 | 49.1 | 47.6 | 40.6 | 37.7 | 25.1 | 24.5 | 49.1 |
Record high °C (°F) | 16.7 (62.1) |
17.9 (64.2) |
26.8 (80.2) |
29.7 (85.5) |
33.1 (91.6) |
35.0 (95.0) |
37.4 (99.3) |
36.4 (97.5) |
34.4 (93.9) |
30.3 (86.5) |
24.4 (75.9) |
20.7 (69.3) |
37.4 (99.3) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.7 (28.9) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
4.3 (39.7) |
11.8 (53.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
23.9 (75.0) |
26.5 (79.7) |
25.3 (77.5) |
21.2 (70.2) |
14.1 (57.4) |
7.5 (45.5) |
1.2 (34.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | −5.5 (22.1) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
6.7 (44.1) |
12.8 (55.0) |
18.3 (64.9) |
20.9 (69.6) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.8 (60.4) |
9.3 (48.7) |
3.7 (38.7) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
7.9 (46.2) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −9.3 (15.3) |
−8.6 (16.5) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
1.5 (34.7) |
7.1 (44.8) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.2 (59.4) |
14.5 (58.1) |
10.4 (50.7) |
4.5 (40.1) |
−0.2 (31.6) |
−5.8 (21.6) |
3.1 (37.6) |
Record low °C (°F) | −30.0 (−22.0) |
−26.7 (−16.1) |
−24.6 (−12.3) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
1.1 (34.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
1.1 (34.0) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−19.3 (−2.7) |
−26.8 (−16.2) |
−30.0 (−22.0) |
Record low wind chill | −43.0 | −37.0 | −30.7 | −22.5 | −8.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | −4.6 | −10.9 | −22.8 | −33.9 | −43.0 |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 64.0 (2.52) |
57.8 (2.28) |
68.4 (2.69) |
79.1 (3.11) |
79.4 (3.13) |
84.9 (3.34) |
100.7 (3.96) |
79.2 (3.12) |
81.9 (3.22) |
77.4 (3.05) |
84.3 (3.32) |
73.0 (2.87) |
929.8 (36.61) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 29.7 (1.17) |
28.2 (1.11) |
42.6 (1.68) |
71.3 (2.81) |
78.7 (3.10) |
84.9 (3.34) |
100.7 (3.96) |
79.2 (3.12) |
81.9 (3.22) |
76.5 (3.01) |
74.4 (2.93) |
43.8 (1.72) |
791.7 (31.17) |
Average snowfall cm (inches) | 40.8 (16.1) |
35.1 (13.8) |
26.5 (10.4) |
8.4 (3.3) |
0.5 (0.2) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.7 (0.3) |
11.0 (4.3) |
33.5 (13.2) |
156.5 (61.6) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 16.6 | 13.8 | 13.6 | 13.1 | 12.6 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 14.3 | 15.9 | 156.2 |
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.4 | 4.9 | 7.9 | 11.7 | 12.6 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 12.5 | 11.2 | 7.9 | 117.8 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 14.5 | 11.6 | 8.1 | 2.7 | 0.10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.43 | 4.8 | 12.0 | 54.2 |
Average relative humidity (%)
|
84.3 | 83.6 | 82.9 | 81.3 | 83.0 | 85.8 | 88.7 | 92.0 | 92.4 | 89.9 | 86.9 | 85.8 | 86.4 |
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada[24] |
Hamilton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The climate of Hamilton is humid continental (Dfa type) and relatively mild compared with most Canadian cities. The average January temperature is −5 °C (23.0 °F) downtown, but many days rise just above freezing often making for slushy conditions during snowfalls.
The climate of the lower city is in general much more sheltered and milder than on top of the Mountain, which has a shorter growing season and in winter is prone to more
Summer
Notes
- ^ Based on station coordinates provided by Environment and Climate Change Canada, climate data for was recorded near downtown Hamilton from January 1866 to August 1958, and April 1950 to present at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
References
- ^ Seward, Carrie. "About Hamilton; Physical features". Archived from the original on 2007-10-15. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ a b c d e f Watson, Milton (1938). Saga of a City. The Hamilton Spectator.
- ISBN 1-55065-207-9.
- ^ Lawson, B. (2007-01-26). "Green City". The Hamilton Spectator. p. Go-7.
- ^ "Burlington Bay/ Beach strip, Hamilton harbour, Skyway Bridge". Retrieved 2008-01-04. (Requires navigation to relevant articles.)
- ^ "A History of the city of Hamilton". Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ Bailey, Thomas Melville (1981). Dictionary of Hamilton Biography (Vol I, 1791-1875). W.L. Griffin Ltd.
- ^ Weaver, John C. "Dictionary of Canadian Biography: George Hamilton". University of Toronto. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ Hamilton Conservation Authority. "HCH History: A Long History..." Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
- ^ City of Hamilton. "Hamilton Conservation Authority: City Parks". myhamilton.ca. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "Bruce Trail Association". Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ Hamilton Conservation Authority Archived 2008-06-15 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 1-896899-22-6.
- ^ "Burlington Bay/ Beach strip, Hamilton harbour, Skyway Bridge". Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ "Fast Facts from Hamilton's Past". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ "Hamilton - The City of Waterfalls". Archived from the original on 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2008-01-25.
- ^ http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/areas/areas_report.cfm?areaid=5327 [dead link]
- ^ a b Johnston, C.M. (1958). The Head of the Lake. Robert Duncan & Company, Limited.
- ^ a b c d e "Hamilton RBG, Ontario". Canadian Climate Normals 1981−2010. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
- ^ "Hamilton 1866-1958". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Hamilton RBG CS". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Daily Data Report for February 2017". Canadian Climate Data. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ "Hamilton, Canada - Monthly weather forecast and Climate data". Weather Atlas. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
- ^ "John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010. Environment and Climate Change Canada. Retrieved April 9, 2014.