Are the winters THAT brutal??

<p>im reallllyyy considering McGill becausee i think its such an amazing school..butt the weather might actually be a deciding factor for me if it comes down to mcgill and some other very well regarded schools in warmer climates. i detest the cold and extremely long/dark winters can get sooo miserable at times.</p>

<p>can anyone comment on how bad the winter season is? are even the buildings/classes drafty? is transportation dangerous in the winter? i know this comes off miniscule buts its kind of important to me lol..</p>

<p>well, where do you currently live right now?
If you live in the southern areas... then the winters WOULD probably affect you</p>

<p>but if you live in places like New England, then you should be fine
I currently live in MA, and i've lived farther north (Toronto), and i dont think there's much of a difference.</p>

<p>On a plus side (i dont know if this will help much or not lol) the winters in Montreal are very beautiful :)</p>

<p>I love the winter in Montreal and I live in Texas! </p>

<p>Actually I found that a lot of the buildings can get a bit hot with all the winter attire you'll be wearing. Public transport is fine in the winter, its really not that bad</p>

<p>Yes, it is not that brutal. Historically -30 celcius during the day and -40 during the night. Sounds like outer space, but it is not that bad, even if you are from the south. I come from a relatively warm country, and it is perfectly fine for me. Just dress-up and remember to layer yourself, so that you can take layers off when you enter buidlings. </p>

<p>The main problem is not the temperature, but the ice. Just so you know, McGill is situated on a hill - yes, Mount Royal. And because it ices up, you will start slipping and sliding everywhere you go. If you have ever lived in Upper Rez, you know what I mean when I say University Street is a slow and painful death.</p>

<p>Transportation is fine, the buses run fine, the metro runs fine (the trains have rubber tires lol).</p>

<p>The true test of a Montrealer: Running naked on St. Cats during mid-January under the wind, ice and blistering cold. Never tried it, not a Montrealer anyway.</p>

<p>It actually doesn't get down to -30 or -40 (OK, the expected number of days where it dips to -30 Celsius or below is .5 per year, windchill doesn't count). With the proper clothes (boots, hat, gloves, winter coat), you get used to it. But if you hate winter, then, yeah, McGill might not be for you. Despite the amount of snow which might be impressive by southern standards, it's pretty grey (the roads and sidewalks get plowed and sprayed with salt and pebbles) and slushy.</p>