Canada’s climate: Temperature and precipitation variations—Student worksheet

1. Use the Summary tables "Weather conditions in capital and major cities – temperatures and precipitation" to create a bar graph that shows
   1. temperature ranges, from winter lows to summer highs for the provincial and territorial capital cities of Canada; and
   2. the total precipitation for these cities.
2. Use the bar graph and a map of Canada to answer the following questions:
   1. Locate the provincial/territorial capital cities listed on your graph on a map of Canada. Which of these would you consider to be maritime cities?
   2. Interior cities experience a continental climate. Compare the climate characteristics of the maritime cities on your list with those of the remaining cities:
      
      Are the temperatures less or more extreme for maritime cities compared with continental cities?
      
      Are the total precipitation levels greater or less for maritime cities compared with continental cities?
      
      
   3. There is a cause and effect relationship between temperature and precipitation.
      
      Which is the cause and which is the effect? Describe the effect.
      
      
   4. Toronto and its neighbouring cities do not fit the pattern of a continental city.
      
      Explain which characteristics of Toronto’s climate are not typical of a continental city.
      
      Using the map of Canada, describe how Toronto’s location might explain its unusual weather patterns.