Editing Sydney, Nova Scotia (section)

==Geography==
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2012}}
Sydney is on the east bank of the Sydney River where it discharges into South Arm of Sydney Harbour.  Elevation ranges from [[sea level]] to {{convert|66|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

The majority of properties within the former city limits have been impacted by development and an extensive urban road network.  The central business district is located on a peninsula extending into South Arm formed by Sydney River on the west side and Muggah Creek on the east side.  The largest park within the former city limits is Open Hearth Park.

Distinctive neighbourhoods include [[Whitney Pier]] in the north east end next to the former steel plant site,  Ashby in the east end, Hardwood Hill in the south end and the "North End" located on the peninsula which contains the Holy Angels convent and the Sydney Garrison known as Victoria Park, headquarters of the Cape Breton Highlanders reserve infantry regiment. The former city completely encircles the [[Membertou First Nation]] (First Nations Reserve 28A and 28B).

===Climate===
Sydney experiences a cool summer, and windy, wet and stormy winter, version of a [[humid continental climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Dfb'') that is significantly moderated by the community's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.{{sfnp|Deibel|Norda|2012}} The highest temperature ever recorded in Sydney was {{convert|36.7|C|0}} on 18 August 1935.<ref name="August 1935">{{Cite web| work = Canadian Climate Data
  | title = August 1935
  | publisher = [[Environment Canada]]
  | date= 22 September 2015
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-03-31&mlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-12-01&StationID=6485&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&Month=8&Day=4&txtStationName=sydney&timeframe=2&Year=1935
  | access-date = 2 March 2016}}</ref> The lowest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-31.7|C|0}} on 31 January 1873, 29 January 1877 and 15 February 1916.<ref name="January 1873">{{Cite web| work = Canadian Climate Data
  | title = January 1873
  | publisher = Environment Canada
  | date= 22 September 2015
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-03-31&mlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-12-01&StationID=6485&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=sydney&timeframe=2&Year=1873&Month=1#
  | access-date = 2 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="January 1877">{{Cite web| work = Canadian Climate Data
  | title = January 1877
  | publisher = Environment Canada
  | date= 26 September 2016
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-03-31&mlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-12-01&StationID=6485&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=sydney+&timeframe=2&Year=1877&Month=1&Day=1
  | access-date = 2 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="February 1916">{{Cite web| work = Canadian Climate Data
  | title = February 1916
  | publisher = Environment Canada
  | date= 22 September 2015
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=%7C&dlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-03-31&mlyRange=1870-01-01%7C1941-12-01&StationID=6485&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=1&searchMethod=contains&txtStationName=sydney&timeframe=2&Year=1916&Month=2#
  | access-date = 2 March 2016}}</ref>

Due to the relatively strong influence from large bodies of water, Sydney experiences strong [[seasonal lag]], meaning February is the year's coldest month on average, and August is the year's warmest month on average.  By contrast, in most continental climates in the Northern Hemisphere, January is the coldest month, July the warmest.

In other respects, too, Sydney's climate varies significantly from that of other areas with humid continental climates. The most significant variations are that Sydney experiences unusually cool summers, and relatively windy, wet and stormy winters, relative to other humid-continental areas such as in the interior of North America. Annual temperatures are instead rather similar to areas around the [[Baltic Sea]] in north-eastern Europe at much higher latitudes, although Sydney's seasonal lag is stronger. Although Sydney has some maritime influence, similar latitudes on the other side of the Atlantic have significantly milder climates in all seasons except summer. Sydney is in the direct path of fall and winter storms (in the U.S., called nor'easters) migrating from the U.S. Northeastern and New England states; these storms can attain tremendous intensity by the time they approach Sydney, with high winds, heavy snow, ice and/or rain events common, primarily from October to February.  Summer thunderstorms are rare in Sydney, because nearby bodies of cool water sharply inhibit the combination of heat and humidity that fuels summer-season thunderstorms elsewhere (for example, the United States' central and southeastern states, and east-central and northern China). In recent years, possibly due to a warming climate, this has changed. In 2013 and 2016 Sydney was under a tornado watch as a result of unusually powerful thunderstorms. On 8 August 2014, a funnel cloud appeared near the Sydney Airport although no tornado warning or tornado watch was issued and the funnel did not actually touch down.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/wild-weather-prompts-tornado-watch-in-cape-breton-1.3018730|title=Wild weather prompts tornado watch in Cape Breton {{!}} CTV News Atlantic|website=atlantic.ctvnews.ca|date=7 August 2016|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/news/local/tornado-warning-has-ended-5027/|title=Tornado warning has ended {{!}} Cape Breton Post|website=www.capebretonpost.com|language=en|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1228180-stormy-weather-hits-nova-scotia|title=Stormy weather hits Nova Scotia|date=8 August 2014|website=Herald News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811052900/http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1228180-stormy-weather-hits-nova-scotia|archive-date=11 August 2014|access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref>

While occasional thunderstorms and other rains can occur in summer, June through August are Sydney's driest months on average. Sydney's average annual precipitation cycle reflects these realities; the year's driest month, on average, is July; its wettest month, on average, is December. Average annual precipitation in Sydney is 1481.4 mm, virtually the highest found anywhere in Canada outside coastal British Columbia.  Snowfall is heavy, averaging 281.1&nbsp;cm per winter season.  However, winter-season storms are variable, and can bring changing precipitation types, commonly from ice/snow to rain and possibly back to ice/snow.  As such, actual snow accumulation is variable.  A winter storm can bring accumulating snow, followed by heavy rain, then a brief return to snow or ice, resulting in no or minimal additional snow accumulation.  Overall, Sydney's climate is moderately cold and strikingly variable, wet, stormy and windy from fall to early spring (October to March), and more stable and drier in summer (June to August).

{{Weather box
| location     = [[Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport|Sydney Airport]], 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1870–present{{refn|group=Note|Based on station coordinates provided by Environment Canada, climate data was collected near downtown Sydney from January 1870 to March 1941,<ref name="Sydney">{{cite web
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/historical_data/search_historic_data_stations_e.html?searchType=stnName&timeframe=1&txtStationName=sydney&searchMethod=contains&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=1940&Year=2016&Month=6&Day=4&selRowPerPage=25
| title = Sydney
| work = Canadian Climate Data
| date = 31 October 2011
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = 8 April 2016}}</ref> and from April 1941 to the present day at Sydney Airport.<ref name="Sydney A">{{cite web
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/historical_data/search_historic_data_stations_e.html?searchType=stnName&timeframe=1&txtStationName=sydney+a&searchMethod=contains&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1941&EndYear=1941&Year=2016&Month=6&Day=4&selRowPerPage=25
| title = Sydney A
| work = Canadian Climate Data
| date = 31 October 2011
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = 8 April 2016}}</ref>}}
| metric first = yes
| single line  = yes
| Jan record high C = 16.9
| Feb record high C = 18.0
| Mar record high C = 24.0
| Apr record high C = 27.2
| May record high C = 31.1
| Jun record high C = 34.4
| Jul record high C = 33.9
| Aug record high C = 36.7
| Sep record high C = 32.3
| Oct record high C = 27.2
| Nov record high C = 23.0
| Dec record high C = 16.7
| year record high C = 36.7
| Jan high C = −0.8
| Feb high C = −1.1
| Mar high C = 1.8
| Apr high C = 6.8
| May high C = 13.2
| Jun high C = 18.6
| Jul high C = 23.4
| Aug high C = 23.4
| Sep high C = 19.4
| Oct high C = 13.1
| Nov high C = 7.7
| Dec high C = 2.6
| year high C = 10.7
| Jan mean C = -5.0
| Feb mean C = -5.5
| Mar mean C = -2.3
| Apr mean C = 2.5
| May mean C = 7.9
| Jun mean C = 13.2
| Jul mean C = 18.2
| Aug mean C = 18.4
| Sep mean C = 14.5
| Oct mean C = 8.9
| Nov mean C = 4.0
| Dec mean C = -0.9
| year mean C = 6.2
| Jan low C = −9.1
| Feb low C = −9.9
| Mar low C = −6.4
| Apr low C = −1.7
| May low C = 2.7
| Jun low C = 7.8
| Jul low C = 12.9
| Aug low C = 13.4
| Sep low C = 9.5
| Oct low C = 4.6
| Nov low C = 0.4
| Dec low C = −4.4
| year low C = 1.6
| Jan record low C = −31.7
| Feb record low C = −31.7
| Mar record low C = −31.1
| Apr record low C = −17.8
| May record low C = −7.8
| Jun record low C = −3.9
| Jul record low C = 0.6
| Aug record low C = 2.2
| Sep record low C = −2.2
| Oct record low C = −5.6
| Nov record low C = −13.9
| Dec record low C = −23.3
| year record low C = -31.7
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 139.1
| Feb precipitation mm = 131.0
| Mar precipitation mm = 121.3
| Apr precipitation mm = 119.8
| May precipitation mm = 98.9
| Jun precipitation mm = 100.8
| Jul precipitation mm = 87.3
| Aug precipitation mm = 99.2
| Sep precipitation mm = 118.2
| Oct precipitation mm = 144.0
| Nov precipitation mm = 149.2
| Dec precipitation mm = 169.8
| year precipitation mm = 1481.4
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 73.9
| Feb rain mm = 65.3
| Mar rain mm = 87.4
| Apr rain mm = 97.3
| May rain mm = 100.8
| Jun rain mm = 97.4
| Jul rain mm = 88.6
| Aug rain mm = 97.4
| Sep rain mm = 121.3
| Oct rain mm = 149.2
| Nov rain mm = 151.0
| Dec rain mm = 117.0
| year rain mm = 1246.5
| Jan snow cm = 77.6
| Feb snow cm = 68.0
| Mar snow cm = 44.7
| Apr snow cm = 22.9
| May snow cm = 1.5
| Jun snow cm = 0.0
| Jul snow cm = 0.0
| Aug snow cm = 0.0
| Sep snow cm = 0.0
| Oct snow cm = 0.4
| Nov snow cm = 9.2
| Dec snow cm = 56.8
| year snow cm = 281.1
| unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 20.4
| Feb precipitation days = 16.3
| Mar precipitation days = 16.9
| Apr precipitation days = 15.5
| May precipitation days = 14.9
| Jun precipitation days = 14.3
| Jul precipitation days = 12.2
| Aug precipitation days = 12.8
| Sep precipitation days = 13.7
| Oct precipitation days = 16.5
| Nov precipitation days = 17.7
| Dec precipitation days = 21.0
| year precipitation days = 192.2
| unit rain days = 0.2 mm
| Jan rain days = 8.8
| Feb rain days = 7.1
| Mar rain days = 10.2
| Apr rain days = 13.0
| May rain days = 14.8
| Jun rain days = 13.8
| Jul rain days = 12.3
| Aug rain days = 12.6
| Sep rain days = 13.3
| Oct rain days = 16.8
| Nov rain days = 15.7
| Dec rain days = 12.2
| year rain days = 150.3
| unit snow days = 0.2 cm
| Jan snow days = 16.9
| Feb snow days = 13.3
| Mar snow days = 11.0
| Apr snow days = 5.8
| May snow days = 0.8
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.5
| Nov snow days = 4.9
| Dec snow days = 14.3
| year snow days = 67.4
| time day = 15:00 LST
| humidity colour = green
| Jan humidity = 73.4
| Feb humidity = 70.3
| Mar humidity = 69.0
| Apr humidity = 67.9
| May humidity = 64.8
| Jun humidity = 65.1
| Jul humidity = 64.6
| Aug humidity = 64.7
| Sep humidity = 67.2
| Oct humidity = 69.9
| Nov humidity = 73.7
| Dec humidity = 76.5
| year humidity = 68.9
| Jan sun = 91.0
| Feb sun = 111.6
| Mar sun = 132.9
| Apr sun = 141.0
| May sun = 198.0
| Jun sun = 224.6
| Jul sun = 246.9
| Aug sun = 228.4
| Sep sun = 167.1
| Oct sun = 130.1
| Nov sun = 77.0
| Dec sun = 68.2
| year sun = 1816.7
| Jan percentsun  = 32.4
| Feb percentsun  = 38.3
| Mar percentsun  = 36.1
| Apr percentsun  = 34.7
| May percentsun  = 42.7
| Jun percentsun  = 47.7
| Jul percentsun  = 51.8
| Aug percentsun  = 52.0
| Sep percentsun  = 44.3
| Oct percentsun  = 38.3
| Nov percentsun  = 27.1
| Dec percentsun  = 25.3
| year percentsun = 39.2
| source 1        = [[Environment Canada]]<ref name="Sydney A Normals">{{cite web
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1981_2010_e.html?stnID=6486&autofwd=1
| title = Sydney A Normals
| work = Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010
| date = 25 September 2013
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = 7 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="Sydney"/><ref name="August 1935"/><ref name="January 1873"/><ref name="February 1916"/><ref name="Daily Data Report for November 2020">{{cite web
| url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=2006-01-23%7C2021-07-11&dlyRange=2006-01-01%7C2021-07-11&mlyRange=2006-01-01%7C2007-07-01&StationID=44503&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2021&selRowPerPage=25&Line=6&searchMethod=contains&Month=11&Day=12&txtStationName=sydney+&timeframe=2&Year=2020
| title = Daily Data Report for November 2020
| work = Canadian Climate Data
| date = 31 October 2011
| publisher = Environment and Climate Change Canada
| access-date = 12 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="March 2012">{{cite web
| url = http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=2006-01-23%7C2016-06-03&dlyRange=2006-01-01%7C2016-06-02&mlyRange=2006-01-01%7C2007-07-01&StationID=44503&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2016&selRowPerPage=25&Line=6&searchMethod=contains&Month=3&Day=4&txtStationName=sydney&timeframe=2&Year=2012
| title = March 2012
| work = Canadian Climate Data
| date = 31 October 2011
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = 7 April 2016}}</ref><ref name="1991-2020 Normals">{{cite web
| url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=46000000&dispBack=0
| title = Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020 Data
| work = Canadian Climate Normals 1991-2020
| date = 18 September 2023
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = 29 September 2023}}</ref><ref name="November 2024">{{cite web
| url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=2006-01-23%7C2024-11-06&dlyRange=2006-01-01%7C2024-11-05&mlyRange=2006-01-01%7C2007-07-01&StationID=44503&Prov=NS&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2024&selRowPerPage=25&Line=6&searchMethod=contains&Month=11&Day=6&txtStationName=sydney&timeframe=2&Year=2024
| title = Daily Data Report for November 2024
| work = Canadian Climate Data
| date = 7 November 2024
| publisher = Environment Canada
| access-date = 7 November 2024}}</ref>
| date            = September 2015
}}