Geography and climate of Winnipeg

Winnipeg lies at the bottom of the Red River Valley, a low-lying flood plain with an extremely flat topography.

[1] This valley was formed by the ancient glacial Lake Agassiz which has rich deposits of black soil.

[citation needed] According to the Census geographic units of Canada, the city has a total area of 464.01 km2 (179.16 sq mi) and an elevation of 240 m (790 ft).

[5] Downtown Winnipeg, the city's economic core, is centred on the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street (reputed to be one of the windiest in Canada).

[6] Downtown Winnipeg covers an area of about one square mile (2.5 km2) and is the fastest growing high-income neighbourhood in the city.

[citation needed] More than 72,000 people work downtown, and over 40,000 students attend classes at its universities and colleges.

[citation needed] The past few decades have seen downtown undergo major revitalization efforts; since 1999, over Can$1.2 billion has been invested.

[9] The 30-block district received National Historic Site of Canada status in 1997; it includes North America's most extensive collection of early 20th-century terracotta and cut stone architecture, 62 of downtown Winnipeg's 86 heritage structures,[9] Stephen Juba Park, and Old Market Square, home to Winnipeg Jazz and Fringe Festivals.

[10] Various residential neighbourhoods surround downtown in all directions, but expansion is greatest to the south and west, and has tended to follow the course of the two major rivers.

Located on Corydon Avenue, between Stafford Street in the west, and Pembina Highway in the east it is home to many boutiques and some of the city's finest restaurants and Gelato.

These peculiarities can cause serious problems for newcomers and visitors, especially in the older areas of the city, and may even affect postal and other deliveries.

Due to its location in the Canadian Prairies, and its distance from both mountains and oceans, it has an extreme humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb,[14] Plant Hardiness Zone 3b-4a[15][16][17]), in that there are great differences between summer and winter temperatures.

This data demonstrates the urban heat island effect cities have on moderating temperatures compared to airport weather stations.

Typical winter phenomena include the bonspiel (January) thaw, ice fog, and the aurora borealis.

The city is virtually assured of having a white Christmas as there is only one 25 December on record in the last century where there was no snow on the ground.

Winnipeg's growing season lasts from 25 May to 22 September;[25] and temperatures frequently hover in the mid to high twenties Celsius (77F to 86F).

On the shortest day of the year (21 December) Winnipeg only has 8 hours and 5 minutes of daylight with the sun setting at 4:29pm and doesn't rise until 8:24am.

A major flood in 1950 caused a State of Emergency to be declared and the Canadian Army was brought in to protect residents and property.

The flood prompted the Government of Manitoba, under former premier Dufferin Roblin, to build the Red River Floodway.

The floodway is colloquially referred to as Duff's Ditch, and is a 47 km (29 mi) long diversion channel that protects Winnipeg from flooding.

However, in the 1997 Red River flood, water threatened the city's relatively unprotected southwest corner.

Winnipeg suffered limited damage compared to cities without flood control structures, such as Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Winnipeg is situated where tall grass prairie meets aspen parkland and is not very far from boreal coniferous forests of the rocky Canadian Shield.

[43] Some birds found around Winnipeg include ferruginous and Swainson's hawks; screech and great horned owls; as well as Canada geese and mallards.