Calgary, Alberta is consistently ranked one of the sunniest cities in Canada, seeing an average of 2397 hours of sunlight each year. This impressive statistic draws many people to the city, despite the rising cost of living and cold winter nights. After all, being in the sunshine is good for you!
Sunlight is scientifically proven to improve your mental health by boosting serotonin, it helps your body create Vitamin D which supports bone density and immunity, and—in careful exposure—is even being shown to prevent certain cancers. Bottom line? Sunlight is good for you, which means so is moving to Calgary!
Current Results reports, “southern Alberta and Saskatchewan form the sun belt of Canada. The swath from Calgary, Alberta to Estevan, Saskatchewan boasts over 2375 hours of bright sunshine a year.” Calgary is perfectly situated in this Sun Belt, where the sun shines for at least half of all daylight hours, and peaks out from the clouds over 300 days a year! If you’re someone who needs the sunlight for health reasons, move to Calgary.
But why does Calgary get so much sunlight? The answer may surprise you.
Christy Climenhaga, a former CBC Meteorologist, writes, “looking at the topography of Canada, we see Alberta has the Coast Mountains and Rocky Mountains to the west and plains to the east. Moisture-laden air coming off the Pacific Ocean hits those mountain ranges and rises. As it rises, it cools, and we get condensation and rain or snow.” The mountains act like a sponge, squeezing out most of the moisture before it reaches the prairies. This is why while we do get snow and rain, we’re considered a desert climate.
As for cloud coverage, we have the jet streams to thank for the sun. Climenhaga continues, “the jet stream — the narrow band of fast-moving air in the upper atmosphere that directs our weather systems — often leaves the Prairies with a big ridge of high pressure. Air in that high pressure sinks and usually means little to no cloud cover, giving Alberta and Saskatchewan that beautiful blue sky they are known for.” This jet stream also helps clear the sky of snow and rain clouds, as storm systems move quickly across the prairies, leaving sunny skies in their wake.
Thanks to Calgary’s unique location between the mountains and the prairies, we get to reap the rewards of science and clear skies. After all, you know what we always say: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!
Ready to make your move to sunny Calgary? Contact Ken Richter directly today at 403-630-6363 or Ken@KenRichter.com.
(Image via Canva)
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