ISS is available virtually and in-person Mondays-Fridays during business hours.
Due to an S2 All Staff Event, our office and phonelines will be closed until 1:30pm on April 2nd, 2025.
Montréal summers are humid and range from warm to hot with an average temperature of 22-30 °C. Spring and fall can be mild, but prone to drastic temperature changes. Late season heat waves and even snowstorms in November and April are possible. Winter in Montréal usually brings cold, snowy, windy, and, at times, icy weather.
Average Temperatures
| DECEMBER (°C) | JANUARY (°C) | FEBRUARY (°C) | MARCH (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Average: -5.6 |
Average: -8.9 |
Average: -7.2 |
Average: -1.2 |
Beware the “Wind Chill Factor” — temperatures can feel far lower than they are.
Average Snowfall
| DECEMBER (CM) | JANUARY (CM) | FEBRUARY (CM) | MARCH (CM) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly: 57.8 Days with snowfall: 12 |
Monthly: 45.9 |
Monthly: 46.6 |
Monthly: 36.8 |
Dressing Appropriately
Things to consider:
- Length of stay at McGill (exchange, 4-year/2-year program)
- Budget (how much are you willing to spend)
- Comfort over style
Boots ($65 - $200)
- Look for waterproof boots, with rubber soles
- Don’t forget about comfort
- Deals for second-hand boots on Craigslist and Kijiji
Long Johns and thermals ($15)
- Long underwear worn underneath regular clothing
- Should be tight, but not restrictive
-
Can prevent the need to wear layers
Toques, gloves and scarves ($30 - $90)
- You lose a majority of heat through your head!
- Make sure ears are covered
- Helps protect from winds
- Consider waterproof over knit gloves
Winter jackets ($100 - $500)
- The biggest and most important expense
- Consider something that is puffy (real or synthetic down) and waterproof (at least water-resistant)
- The higher the down count, the warmer the jacket
- 700 down count very high (thick, puffy jacket)
For more information about being "winter ready", take a look at ISS's Winter 101 presentation.