Canadians I Need Some Input Please

[CharmedMinis]

I need some input from all you Canadians.........pretty please............

I'm getting read to leave on a road trip, for my trip home I'm thinking about driving across Southern Canada.

I would be driving East to West across Southern Canada at the end of October. I believe I would be taking what is called the Trans Canada Highway.........starting in Winnipeg, going through Regina, and then dropping down somewhere into Montana.

Can anyone tell me what the weather will be like in that part of Canada at the end of October??? I don't mind some weather, but would rather not get stuck in a blizzard for days.

Thanks!!!

 

[Lisa]

I've never been to Manitoba or Saskatchewan, but both are notorious for being hard and long winters. I would expect it to be lots of snow, and VERY cold!

I would suggest, if I were you, going through BC. We don't have as bad of winters as some provinces. Most years I don't see snow except for a few days here and there and very light.

 

[Kim]

The problem with Canadian weather is that you just never know what you're going to get! At the end of October in Manitoba and Saskatchewan you could easily get blizzards or it could also be 20 or more degrees Celsius (sorry, don't know what that is in Fahrenheit)! You really need to be prepared for anything. I live in Banff, Alberta, and today there are 4 inches of SNOW on the ground--unusual for this time of year, and next week it will probably be warm again, but anything can happen here!

Any particular reason you're planning on going through Saskatchewan and Manitoba? I haven't driven through Manitoba, but Saskatchewan is not really the most scenic/exciting place I've ever been, although if you like straight, flat roads through the prairies, that is your place! Could you continue to Alberta/BC, and go back down to New Mexico through Idaho--that would be a much nicer trip for you.

Feel free to PM me with more specific questions.

 

[Mona]

Manitoba and Saskatchewan are fairly close in what they receive for temps and weather, however, as others have said, it is always unpredictable at the end of October. It can be warm and sunny, or cold, windy and snowing and/or raining. When we buy or make Halloween costumes here for the little kids, we need to buy them big enough so that they can wear a winter jacket underneath! I am about 4 hours east of Winnipeg. Why(if I may ask) are you headed up here? Where will you be crossing into Canada from?

Sorry, we Canadians are not much help to you at this time of year! LOL!

 

[Minimor]

Chiming in from southern Manitoba, just 3 miles off the Trans Canada and 2 hours out of Winnipeg actually, so you'll drive right by. :saludando:

As the others have said, the end of October you could run into just about anything here. Last year we had a snowstorm in early October, but the end of October was dry & mild--quite nice actually, nothing much for warm clothing needed if you were outside, no snow on the ground.

On the other extreme, in October of 1990 we had snow on the ground--quite a bit of snow!--by mid October, and by the 23rd of October it was COLD, somewhere around -23 during the day and -35 at night, and the snow kept coming. How do I remember that miserable winter, well, there are many things that made it memorable, none of them good.

Oh, Manitoba isn't like Saskatchewan...we do have a little bit of scenery!! :bgrin

 

[sparkle]

Hello.

I don't live IN Canada, but my mom is from there and we go every year.

I have not been to where you are asking about and I'm not sure what your reasons are for choosing that area, but if you're looking for unbelievable scenery, go to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia!!

The Cabot Trail is stunning and soaked in Celtic heritage. It's postcard perfect around every corner. Here's one pic of Pleasant Bay, a mountain valley town along the Cabot Trail in Highland National Park...

I can say that the weather in October can be unpredictable. Kinda like Maine...you never know what you're gonna get! lol I drove to Cape Breton at the END of April and got stuck in a blizzard while driving over the mountains. Fun, eh? lol

:

If you have any questions about this area, I'm right full of it, so pm me! :bgrin

Regardless of where you're going, road trips are great fun and always an adventure...I'm sure you'll have a blast!

:

 

[Devon]

Well I Live in Southern Ontario. It USUALLY doesn't start storming ie Snowing untill Miid November but its Ontario you just never know

 

[mmmorgans]

As others have said - our winter season sometimes starts early and October can be really nice weather or really ugly weather. You just need to be prepared - that's all. If the weather is nice, the scenery is not as bad as what others have said. I was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta and now live close to Regina, Saskatchewan - and wouldn't move back to Alberta for anything!!!! Saskatchewan has lots to offer tourists - and perhaps it is rather flat - but lots of lakes, lots of wildlife - just a nice province to be in. We drove down to Portland, Oregon last summer - through Montana - then Idaho - then Oregon - and I really have no desire to go back. I was very happy to get back to "space" where you could see where you were going!!!!!!!!!

 

[AJ]

Winnipeg is an excellent place to start. Good country and people. We usually do NOT have snow by halloween and the temperatures can be moderate. We have had 80-90 degree weather in late Oct. (probably not too often) We are 1 hour out of Winnipeg and if you would like a "mini" fix, some coffee and mini talk, please drop by if your schedule permits. Note-the mini's will not be clipped.

PS Enroute to Arizona in 1982, we were snowed in at Tocome Cari (???) New Mexico in early December, and had to share motel accommodations as many other travellers were stranded also.

 

[AJ]

Normal temperature ranges in Manitoba are, October 30 to 50 degrees F and for November 12 to 25 degrees F. The Oct temps show that any unusual snow would normally not stay.

 

[CharmedMinis]

Sorry I didn't respond last night, couldn't log in.

Thank you all for your responses.

The plan is this...................

At the end of my road trip, my last stop will be Ely, Minnesota. It's where my Father grew up, and he wants me to see it.

Ely is right up near the Canadian border, so he suggested that instead of driving back home to NM through South Dakota, which he says is boring..........that I should drive through Canada.

So he suggested going North from Ely, up to Winnipeg and then taking the Trans Canada Highway West and then drop down through Glacier National Park in Montana and then south to home.

So let me ask you all this...........Is the Trans Canada Highway the way to go??? Or is there another Highway a little ways south of that one that would be better? My maps aren't wonderful about showing detail of Canadian roads.

Thanks again, probably will PM a few of you!

:

 

[Mona]

OK, I know where that is! :bgrin Not sure how far from me, but if you were to drive from Ely to Warroad, you would come into Canada at Sprague, and you would end up driving right by AJ's place! Also, I am only 33 miles into Canada(a different border than AJ) across the border from Baudette. I might be working, but if I am hopme, you are sure welcome to come for a visit here too! Then I can show you on a map...map out your trail for you!

: Anyway, yes, once you get on the #1(Trans Canada) that is the best place to be.

Sorry I didn't respond last night, couldn't log in.

Thank you all for your responses.

The plan is this...................

At the end of my road trip, my last stop will be Ely, Minnesota. It's where my Father grew up, and he wants me to see it.

Ely is right up near the Canadian border, so he suggested that instead of driving back home to NM through South Dakota, which he says is boring..........that I should drive through Canada.

So he suggested going North from Ely, up to Winnipeg and then taking the Trans Canada Highway West and then drop down through Glacier National Park in Montana and then south to home.

So let me ask you all this...........Is the Trans Canada Highway the way to go??? Or is there another Highway a little ways south of that one that would be better? My maps aren't wonderful about showing detail of Canadian roads.

Thanks again, probably will PM a few of you!

:

Oh, and by the way...just to prove to you how crazy Canadian weather can be...they just had SNOW yesterday in parts of Alberta!

:

 

[Lisa]

So let me ask you all this...........Is the Trans Canada Highway the way to go??? Or is there another Highway a little ways south of that one that would be better? My maps aren't wonderful about showing detail of Canadian roads.

The trans Canada goes from Vancouver Island all the way to the east.

 

[Jenn]

Make sure you have good tires on your car as well as a complete road safety kit including a warm blanket! A charged cell phone is also totally necessary.

Like the others said, weather is unpredictable at the end of October. As a kid, I remember going out on Halloween with snow higher than my waist (and I was 12 years old or so then). Other years there was no snow. You just never know!