Snow Depth

Over southern Canada maximum snow depth usually occurs in January or February, while the time of maximum accumulation occurs much later in mountain areas and in the Arctic. The main features of the map are the pronounced maximum in snow accumulation over the western Cordillera (British Columbia and Yukon), where snow depths can exceed several metres, with a secondary maximum over Quebec and Labrador. These maxima are related to their proximity to oceans, which acts as sources of moisture and winter storms, and to the orographic effect of the mountains in the case of western Canada. The two maxima are linked by a band of higher snow accumulation that follows the boreal forest zone; this is a preferred track for winter storms. To the north of this zone is the relatively shallow snow cover of the Arctic (low snowfall with extensive wind packing). To the south, the depth of snow is limited by the shorter accumulation season and the substantial sublimation of snow over the Canadian Prairies. An inset map shows the average maximum snow depth where it is deepest in Canada: central Vancouver Island (British Columbia). A second inset shows the distribution of Canada's daily snow depth station network, 1997.