Canada’s eastern provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec boast distinct seasons, with often freezing, but sunny winters punctuated by heavy snowfalls, then cool springs and hot and humid summers.

The Great Lakes play a major role in the weather of south Ontario and Quebec, bringing warm, even hot, and humid summers and dramatic, sudden, inland, snowfalls in winter; a record one metre of snow fell within 48 hours in 2010. Immediately along the shores however, the climate is moderated, and in south Ontario creates a grape-friendly microclimate perfect for wine production. The exceptionally picturesque town of Niagara-on-the-Lake boasts 37 wineries, and is one of the most famous places to sample ice-wine, made from frozen grapes, but there are countless other wine areas spread around Ontario, each with their own unique combination of climate, topography and soil type. Visitors to Toronto meanwhile, need not necessarily fear the winter cold, as an underground system of tunnels protects walkers from the elements.

Ontario and Quebec are wetter than their neighbouring provinces further west, with no real dry season; winters and summers are fairly similar in terms of rainfall amounts and the number of wet days per month.

Further east, along the Atlantic coast, are the three maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and the easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador. There’s not the huge difference between winter and summer seen in other parts of Canada. Summer days in the maritimes normally get into the low to mid 20sC, while in the depths of winter temperatures usually hover around the freezing mark.

It’s different in Newfoundland and Labrador, with its vast ten thousand miles of coastline. The length of the province means there can be quite different weather depending on how far north or south you are. Frequent fog, especially in the spring and early summer is stubborn, and even strong winds can’t always clear it. In the winter, strong storms known as Nor’easters can bring damaging winds and big waves. Freezing rain in late winter is common and can bring power cuts and transport disruption. In the short but pleasant summers temperatures typically climb into the high-teens in St John’s, but can reach the mid-20s at times.