Montreal experiences a humid continental climate with four distinct seasons, marked by warm, humid summers and long, bitterly cold winters.

Precipitation falls year-round at fairly consistent levels, but summer thunderstorms can drench you in minutes while winter dumps substantial snow that lingers from December through March.

Temperatures swing dramatically from summer highs around 26°C to winter lows that routinely plunge below -10°C, with January often reaching -20°C or colder.

Humidity makes summer feel sticky and oppressive, while winter wind chill off the St. Lawrence can make already frigid temperatures feel genuinely dangerous to exposed skin.

Layering is non-negotiable here: the metro is overheated in winter, patios are sun-traps in summer, and spring mornings bear no resemblance to spring afternoons.